A staff member of the World Health Organization (WHO), Majdi Aslan, 54, was killed on Monday in Gaza when the Israeli army fired on a WHO vehicle. According to sources, including an Al Jazeera correspondent, the incident occurred in eastern Khan Younis on Salah al-Din Street, where Israeli forces shot "indiscriminately" at people and vehicles. Aslan, the driver, was shot in the head and later pronounced dead at Al-Aqsa Hospital, while a WHO doctor and several other Palestinians were injured.
WHO did not immediately confirm the victim was an employee but stated in an email to Al Jazeera that "this morning, a critical security incident occurred in Gaza that is under review by relevant authorities." As a result, medical evacuations from Gaza via the Rafah crossing to Egypt have been suspended immediately until further notice, severely limiting access to treatment abroad for critically injured Palestinians. WHO has been coordinating these evacuations since the opening of the Rafah crossing, which has allowed small numbers of patients to leave the besieged territory.
Israel's attacks on Gaza continue despite a fragile ceasefire reached in October, with over 700 Palestinians killed since then, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. On Monday, additional incidents were reported: in southern Khan Younis, a Palestinian man with special needs was shot dead by Israeli soldiers; in Gaza City, a drone attack killed one person and critically injured a child; and in the Yarmouk and Shujayea neighborhoods, two Palestinians were killed in drone strikes. Hospital sources reported eight Palestinian deaths in Israeli airstrikes since Sunday.
This event highlights the deepening humanitarian crisis in Gaza, exacerbated by Israel's ongoing restrictions on aid and military actions. Attacks on international organization staff raise serious concerns about violations of international law and the escalation of violence, threatening regional stability and civilian lives. The suspension of medical evacuations further strains Gaza's already overwhelmed healthcare system, underscoring the urgent need for a sustainable resolution to the conflict.
Source: www.aljazeera.com