(i24) In a heated session of the World Health Organization (WHO) executive board, Israel accused the global health body of collusion with Hamas, alleging that it has ignored evidence of the “terrorist use” of hospitals in the Gaza Strip.

The accusations came to light as WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the conditions in Gaza as “hellish.

She claimed that in every hospital searched by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Gaza, evidence of Hamas’ military use was found. Shahar asserted, “These are undeniable facts that WHO chooses to ignore time and time again. This is not incompetence; it is collusion.”

Israel has repeatedly accused Hamas of using civilians as human shields, claiming that the terrorist organization locates operations bases under hospitals. Shahar insisted on the existence of evidence supporting the “terrorist use” of hospitals during the session.

During the same meeting, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who has personal experience with war, became emotional when describing the conditions in Gaza. He expressed his belief in a peaceful resolution to conflicts, stating, “I’m a true believer because of my own experience that war doesn’t bring a solution, except more war, more hatred, more agony, more destruction.”

The conflict escalated after Hamas’s October 7 massacres, prompting Israel to launch a military offensive. In response, the Palestinian territory’s health ministry reported a significant number of casualties. However, these figures, provided by the Hamas-run health ministry, remain unverified and are believed to include both civilians and Hamas members.

Israel’s accusations against WHO align with its defense against claims of genocide made by South Africa in the International Court of Justice earlier in January. Israel detailed Hamas’s use of civilian infrastructure in Gaza for military purposes during the court proceedings.

The IDF accuses Hamas of employing various tactics, including digging tunnels under hospitals and using medical facilities as command centers. WHO has previously stated it cannot confirm these allegations. Despite presenting evidence, Israel claims that WHO continues to turn a blind eye, jeopardizing those it is meant to protect.