Israel says hospital director is being questioned as WHO expresses fears over the safety of dozens of people still at the facility.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern over the fate of the director of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Muhammad Abu Salmiya, who was arrested by Israel this week.
The WHO said in a statement Friday that the director of the largest hospital in the besieged Palestinian territory was arrested Wednesday along with five other health workers, while they were taking part in a United Nations mission to evacuate patients.
“Three medical staff from the Palestinian Red Crescent and three from the Ministry of Health were arrested,” the WHO said.
Since then, two of the six people have reportedly been released, but “we have no information on the state of health of the four remaining health personnel, including the director of Al-Shifa hospital,” the statement added.
The UN agency called for “their legal and human rights to be fully respected during their detention”.
An Israeli army spokesperson said Saturday that Abu Salmiya was being questioned.
“We are currently questioning him about the fact that he was the head of a hospital that was actually at the top of an entire terrorist network,” Israeli army spokesman Doron said. Spielman.
“How could he not know what’s going on? We have hostages who were, you know, on video surveillance in his hospital.
The Israeli military, which attacked the hospital last week, claimed that Hamas fighters were using a tunnel complex under al-Shifa as a command center – a claim that Hamas and hospital officials have repeatedly denied. Israel has not provided any evidence to support its claims.
Concern for remaining patients
Abu Salmiya has been frequently quoted by international media about conditions inside al-Shifa, a major focus of Israeli air raids and ground offensive following attacks by Hamas fighters on October 7.
A week ago, the Israeli army ordered the evacuation of al-Shifa, which housed 7,000 people, including patients and displaced Palestinians. But dozens of patients, unable to be moved, remained inside with a handful of doctors.
WHO carried out three evacuation missions to the hospital in the space of a week, the organization said, on one occasion managing to transfer 31 babies from the hospital.
During the third mission carried out on Wednesday, carried out in cooperation with the Palestinian Red Crescent, 151 people were evacuated, including patients, their relatives and healthcare staff, according to the WHO.
A WHO spokesperson said on Friday that the UN agency was working on further evacuations of hospitals in northern Gaza as soon as possible while a truce was in effect, expressing fears for people’s safety remained at al-Shifa hospital.
“We are extremely concerned about the safety of the approximately 100 patients and health workers who remain in al-Shifa,” WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier said.
He declined to respond to comments from Gaza’s health ministry saying it was suspending cooperation with the global health agency, amid reports that Israel was detaining medical personnel for questioning.