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Israel has attacked a main warehouse and staff housing belonging to the World Health Organization (WHO) in central Gaza, the UN organization says.

"WHO's staff housing in Dayr al-Balah was attacked three times today, as was its main warehouse," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus writes on X.

A fire broke out in the warehouse in connection with the attack and WHO is now even more limited in supporting hospitals that already have critical shortages of medicines, fuel and equipment, he states.

Detained personnel

Israeli military also carried out a raid on staff housing and forced women and children to evacuate on foot towards al-Mawasi in southern Gaza, amid ongoing fighting, the WHO chief added.

"Male staff and family members were handcuffed, undressed, interrogated on site and searched at gunpoint," he writes.

One of the employees is still detained, the remaining 32 employees have been evacuated to one of the organization's offices.

"WHO demands the immediate release of the detained staff and the protection of all its personnel," the WHO director wrote.

Appeals to member states

"As the leading health authority, the endangerment of WHO's operations paralyzes the entire health effort in Gaza," he writes further, urging the organization's member states, including Sweden, to quickly contribute to ensuring the flow of medical supplies to Gaza.

Israeli forces launched extensive airstrikes and a ground operation against the city of Dayr al-Balah on Sunday, hours after the military issued an evacuation order for parts of the city.