ISTANBUL

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the starvation of Gazans will not make Israel safer.

"The starvation of the people of Gaza will not make Israel safer, nor will it facilitate the release of the hostages. This is a catastrophe that Israel could have prevented, and could stop at any time," Tedros said at a weekly news briefing on Friday.

He noted that starvation of civilians as a method of war is a "war crime" that can "never be tolerated."

"We call on the Government of Israel to end this inhumane war. If it will not, I call on its allies to use their influence to stop it," Tedros said.

Pointing to Israel's heavy bombardment on Gaza over the past week, he warned of an "even worse humanitarian disaster."

"As you know, famine was declared in parts of Gaza two weeks ago. Since the conflict began in October 2023, at least 370 people have died from malnutrition in Gaza, including more than 300 just in the past two months. And where hunger goes, disease follows," the WHO director-general said.

Tedros also stressed that "too few" countries are willing to receive people who need urgent medical care outside Gaza.

"We call for countries to open their arms to these critically ill patients. We call on Israel to allow people to be treated in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where hospitals closer to home can take many patients," he further said.

- WHO chief points to hunger crisis in Sudan

"While the wars in Gaza and Ukraine continue to make headlines, the war in Sudan continues to be the war the world forgot. Like Gaza, Sudan is also facing a hunger crisis, with famine conditions confirmed in parts of the country," Tedros said.

He further called for "immediate" opening of safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to El Fasher to "meet the mounting health needs."

"We call on the RSF to lift the siege, and we call on all parties to the conflict to end the war," Tedros added.

- Mpox no longer international health emergency

Tedros also announced that mpox no longer represents an international health emergency after he declared a public health emergency of international concern over the spread of mpox in Africa over a year ago.

"Since then, the Emergency Committee has met every three months to evaluate the outbreak. Yesterday, they met again and advised me that in their view, the situation no longer represents an international health emergency. I have accepted that advice," he said.

The WHO chief noted that the decision is based on sustained declines in cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo along with other affected countries such as Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.