The medical facility is clearly marked with the logo of the Palestinian Red Crescent, OCHA noted, recalling that about 14,000 people sought refuge in the building.
“No child in the world should be murdered, especially not one who has sought refuge under the emblem of a humanitarian organization; “This must end,” emphasized Gemma Connell, team leader at the United Nations.
For his part, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the attacks as excessive and maintained his call to end the conflict and protect health workers and health facilities.
In a message on the social network
“Gaza's health system is already devastated and health and humanitarian workers are constantly hampered in their efforts to save lives due to hostilities,” he added.
Many of those who had taken refuge in the building when it was bombed had already left, the WHO chief said, while those who remained were extremely fearful for their safety and planned to leave the place where they were had sought refuge and protection.
According to international humanitarian law, the hospital should be a protected space and today it was attacked twice, said the head of the WHO health emergencies team, Ayadil Saparbekov, in a video posted on his social networks from the facility.
That day, OCHA reported multiple Israeli air, land and naval bombardments across most of the Gaza Strip, as well as ground clashes in the southern city of Khan Younis and heavy attacks in Gaza City to the north.
The UN estimates that between January 1 and 2, 207 Palestinians were killed and another 338 people were injured.
The conflict, which began on October 7, has claimed more than 22,000 Palestinian lives in Gaza; 70 percent of them women and children.
Almost seven thousand people are now missing or buried under the rubble.
ro/ebr