Gaza — The World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed the release of one of its staff members who had been detained by Israeli forces in the ongoing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza for more than a month, a development highlighting both the dangers faced by humanitarian personnel and the deteriorating conditions on the ground.
The employee was taken into custody on July 21, following an Israeli attack in Deir al-Balah, where the WHO’s main warehouse and staff residences had come under attack. During that brutal attack, several WHO staff and their family members were forcibly removed from the compound, interrogated with third degree, and detained. Three were freed earlier, but one remained in Israeli custody until Sunday.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed “profound relief” at the release, while warning that such detentions endanger not only aid workers but also the fragile lifelines they provide in the Gaza war. “Humanitarians must never be targets,” he said, adding that WHO continues to face immense challenges in sustaining health operations in Gaza.
The enclave’s health system has largely collapsed under the combined weight of siege, bombardment, and famine. Hospitals report catastrophic shortages of medicine, fuel, and surgical equipment. With famine now officially declared in parts of Gaza, doctors describe skeletal children arriving at wards as more civilians perish from starvation. Aid agencies say that Israeli restrictions on humanitarian convoys are worsening the crisis, leaving hundreds of thousands without access to basic care or food.
The detention of UN and NGO staff by Israeli forces has drawn growing criticism from international organizations and rights groups, who accuse Tel Aviv of systematically obstructing humanitarian access. Humanitarian law experts stress that such actions violate the Geneva Conventions and set dangerous precedents in war zones.
The release of the WHO employee comes amid mounting diplomatic pressure on Israel to respect humanitarian law and ensure safe passage for aid. Yet aid agencies fear the incident will have a chilling effect on international staff, many of whom already face daily risks of shelling, arrest, and intimidation while trying to serve the Palestinian population.
According to Reuters, the staffer’s release was confirmed on August 24, ending more than four weeks in detention and underscoring the broader crisis for humanitarian operations inside Gaza.
