WHO calls on Hamas to release all civilian hostages

He also warned that a conflict between Israel and these forces would only cause destruction and sow terror.

Mr Ghebreyesus said he was also deeply concerned by the Israeli military attacks, in which innocent Palestinian civilians and children were “paying the price”. Mr Ghebreyesus said the conflict was “a reminder of how quickly millions of lives can be put at risk. War brings nothing but destruction and horror”.

Israel declared war on Hamas on October 8, a day after Hamas militants crossed the border between Israel and the Gaza Strip and entered Israeli territory. The Israeli military said on October 15 that it had confirmed that 155 people had been held hostage by Hamas since the group launched an attack on Israeli territory last week.

Also according to Mr. Ghebreyesus, WHO called on Hamas to release the civilian hostages and also continued to call on Israel to comply with its obligations under international law to protect civilians and medical facilities.

Regarding the Israeli army's request for people in the northern Gaza Strip to move south to safety, the WHO chief said that asking 1.1 million people to move from the north to the south of Gaza in such a short time would cause a humanitarian disaster. WHO is currently calling for the restoration of electricity and water in the Gaza Strip as well as the immediate and safe delivery of food, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid.

On the same day, the North African country is coordinating with regional and international partners in a joint diplomatic effort to facilitate the exchange of civilian hostages between Hamas and Israel.

These sources confirmed to Egypt's Ahram Online newspaper that in addition to the issue of releasing civilian hostages held by Hamas, the current negotiations between Egypt and its regional and international partners also discuss efforts to reach an agreement to end the war between Israel and Hamas.

Hamas has previously expressed its willingness to negotiate the release of civilian hostages, but has consistently refused to release military hostages. On the Israeli side, on October 14, the head of the Israeli National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, denied that Tel-Aviv was negotiating the repatriation of Israeli citizens and other foreigners captured by Hamas in the October 7 attack, stressing that the country was not negotiating with Hamas. According to Hamas, the number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel is 5,200, including 33 women and 170 children.