Tearful WHO Chief Urges Israel to Show 'Mercy' in Gaza

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Visibly emotional, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Thursday urged Israel to show "mercy" amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Ghebreyesus emphasized that peace would ultimately serve Israel's interests.

During an emotional intervention at the WHO's annual assembly, Ghebreyesus said that the conflict is detrimental to Israel and will not lead to lasting solutions.

"I can feel how people in Gaza would feel at the moment. I can smell it. I can visualize it. I can hear even the sounds. And this is because of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)," said Tedros, 60, who frequently references his childhood experiences during wars in Ethiopia, as reported by Arab News. 

"You can imagine how people are suffering. It’s really wrong to weaponize food. It’s very wrong to weaponize medical supplies," he added.

The United Nations (UN) on Thursday began distributing approximately 90 aid trucks, marking the first shipment to Gaza since Israel imposed a total blockade on March 2.

Tedros asserted that only a political solution can bring about meaningful peace. "A call for peace is actually in the best interests of Israel itself. I feel that the war is hurting Israel itself and it will not bring a lasting solution," he said. 

"I ask if you can have mercy. It’s good for you and good for the Palestinians. It’s good for humanity," he underlined.

WHO's emergency response director Michael Ryan stated that 2.1 million Palestinians in Gaza are "in imminent danger of death." He added, "We need to end the starvation, we need to release all hostages and we need to resupply and bring the health system back online."

"As an ex-hostage, I can say that all hostages should be released. Their families are suffering. Their families are in pain," Ryan added.

The WHO reported that Palestinians in Gaza are enduring severe shortages of food, water, medical supplies, fuel, and shelter. Four major hospitals have been forced to halt medical services in the past week due to their proximity to conflict areas, evacuation zones, or direct attacks.

Only 19 out of 36 hospitals in the Gaza Strip remain operational, with staff working under "impossible conditions," the UN health agency said in a statement.

The agency also noted that at least 94 percent of all hospitals in the Gaza Strip are damaged or destroyed, while north Gaza has been stripped of nearly all health care.

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