HAMILTON, Canada

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday condemned attacks by Israeli forces on its staff residence and main warehouse in the central Gaza Strip, with its top official in the territory pledging the agency will continue its mission despite the risks.

Speaking to reporters at a virtual news conference, Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, said Israeli forces attacked the staff residence of the organization in Gaza's Deir al Balah three times on Monday, along with its main warehouse, and detained staff and family members.

"The attacks affected staff housing, now inaccessible to 43 staff and families," said Peeperkorn.

He said the WHO's main medical supply warehouse, clearly marked and located within an evacuation zone, was also attacked.

Noting that the health agency's main warehouse was also "damaged, destroyed after an attack which caused explosions and fire inside," Peeperkorn said: "We see this as part of a pattern of systematic destruction for health facility."

He stressed that the coordinates of all WHO premises, including staff residences and warehouses, had been "very well known" and "regularly updated" with Israeli authorities.

Emphasizing that the warehouse is known by "everyone" that it is the main WHO warehouse, Peeperkorn said, "I absolutely don't get" Israel attacking and setting fire the building that is storing "much needed medical supplies."

Despite the Israeli attacks, he reaffirmed the WHO’s commitment to Gaza.

Saying that the WHO's presence is "more needed than ever," Peeperkorn stressed that "we will definitely continue and expand, be there to stay and deliver."

He called for the immediate release of a WHO staff member detained during the attack and urged member states to increase support for humanitarian operations and ensure a regular flow of medical supplies.

Raising alarms about rising malnutrition, he said: "We saw this huge increase in malnutrition among under five year-olds. Huge increase."

He stressed that there are "about hundreds and hundreds of kids who are malnourished all over Gaza," and affirmed that before the conflict, malnutrition among children in the enclave was virtually nonexistent.