Situation in Gaza 'getting worse by the hour', WHO says

A World Health Organisation official in Gaza said on Tuesday that the situation is "getting worse by the hour", according to Reuters.

Speaking to reporters via video link from Gaza, Richard Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territory, said Israeli bombing has intensified all around, including in the southern areas of Khan Younis and Rafah.

"I want to make this point very clear that we are looking at an increasing humanitarian disaster," Peeperkorn said.

Peeperkorn said WHO had complied with an Israeli order to remove supplies from warehouses in Khan Younis a day earlier. He said WHO had been told the area would "most likely become an area of active combat in the coming days".

"We want to make sure that we can actually deliver essential medical supplies," he said.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday appealed to Israel to withdraw the order. Israel denied asking for the evacuation of warehouses.