WHO worried over fate of Al-Shifa Hospital chief

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday expressed its concern over the fate of the head of Gaza City’s Al-Shifa hospital Mohammad Abu Salmiya who was detained by the Israeli occupation forces.

In a statement, the WHO said that the head of the biggest hospital in the besieged Gaza Strip was detained on Wednesday along with five other health workers, while they were taking part in a UN mission to evacuate patients.

“Three medical personnel from the Palestine Red Crescent Society and three from the Ministry of Health were detained,” the WHO said.

Since then, two of the six have reportedly been released, but “we do not have information about the well-being of the four remaining health staff, including the director of Al-Shifa hospital,” the statement added.

The UN agency called for “their legal and human rights to be fully observed during their detention.”

Abu Salmiya has been frequently quoted by international media about the conditions inside Al-Shifa, which had been targeted and raided by Israeli occupation forces since the start of their ground invasion of the Gaza Strip.

On Thursday the Israeli occupation military announced it had detained the hospital chief, along with a department head.

Hamda Mustafa