Tedros lamented that “the entire health system in Gaza has been under attack for over a year” since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel triggered the war.

The attack resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, most of them civilians, according to an official Israeli AFP tally. Dozens of hostages are still being held by militants in Gaza.

Israel’s campaign of revenge has killed 42,924 people in Gaza, most of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory’s Ministry of Health, which the United Nations considers reliable.

“The WHO cannot emphasize strongly enough that hospitals must be protected from conflict at all times,” Tedros said, saying “any attack on healthcare facilities is a violation of international humanitarian law.”

“The only path to protecting what remains of Gaza’s collapsing health system is an immediate and unconditional ceasefire.”