WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to allow the delivery of food and medical aid, saying air and sea deliveries were welcome but not enough to respond to the growing needs.

“Only the expansion of land crossings will allow large-scale aid deliveries to prevent famine,” he said according to Al Jazeera.

Tedros added that the WHO supported the set-up of a nutrition stabilisation centre at the Kamal Adwan Hospital, in northern Gaza, and a second one in Rafah, in the south, to treat children with severe acute malnutrition at risk of imminent death.

He also said ongoing fighting in and around hospitals, including al-Shifa, made it impossible for the UN agency to distribute supplies.

“Accessing al-Shifa is now impossible and there are reports of medical staff being detained,” he said. “A planned mission to al-Shifa today was cancelled due to a lack of security,” Tedros added.

“Once again, we ask Israel to open more crossings and accelerate the delivery of food, water and other humanitarian aid,” he said.

“Once again, we call for medical facilities to be protected and not militarised, for the release of hostages and for an immediate ceasefire,” he added.