‘History will judge us’ for children suffering in Gaza: WHO head

ISTANBUL/GENEVA

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said Thursday the world will be judged for the suffering of children in the Gaza Strip.

“Rafiq is one of many children and young people in northern Gaza who are starving and suffering from grievous injuries. History will judge us all for what these children are enduring,” Tedros wrote on X.

He also demanded a cease-fire and urgent “unfettered, scaled-up humanitarian access” in Gaza.

Tedros noted at a news conference on Thursday that 16% of children younger than 5 in northern Gaza are malnourished -- a rate that was less than 1% before the current conflict erupted.

He said almost all families are food insecure, with adults reducing their meals so that children can eat.

Tedros expressed concern about attacks on the Shifa Hospital and its surroundings, where 30,000 displaced Palestinians from northern Gaza have taken refuge from the Israeli bombardment, stating that access to the facility is impossible.

He also indicated that there are reports of health workers at the hospital being detained, noting that the WHO had to cancel a planned aid mission to the medical center Thursday due to security concerns.

Tedros said children in Gaza are dying from the combined effects of malnutrition, disease and lack of water and sanitation.

“The future of an entire generation is seriously at risk,” he said.

He expressed satisfaction with the recent delivery of food to Gaza via air and sea routes, but emphasized that expanding land crossings would enable large-scale deliveries to prevent famine.

"Our requests for aid delivery are often blocked or denied,” he said.

Tedros urged Israel to open more border crossings to Gaza and accelerate the entry and distribution of water, food, medical supplies, and other humanitarian aid.