ZURICH, Dec 30 (Reuters) - The head of the World Health

Organization on Monday called for an end to attacks on hospitals

in Gaza after Israel struck one and raided another in the past

few days.

"Hospitals in Gaza have once again become battlegrounds and

the health system is under severe threat," WHO Director-General

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a post on X.

"We repeat: stop attacks on hospitals. People in Gaza need

access to health care. Humanitarians need access to provide

health aid. Ceasefire!" he added.

The Israeli military said Hamas militants were the targets

of a strike on Gaza City's Al Wafa hospital on Sunday, which the

Palestinian civil defence said killed seven people.

Israeli forces also detained more than 240 Palestinians

including dozens of medical staff from Kamal Adwan hospital on

Friday, among them its director Hussam Abu Safiya, according to

health authorities in the enclave and Israel's military.

The Israeli military said the hospital was being used as a

command centre for Hamas military operations and those arrested

were suspected militants. It said Abu Safiya was taken for

questioning as he was suspected of being a Hamas operative.

Tedros, who last week was caught up in an Israeli strike

against Yemen's main airport that he said might have cost him

his life, called for Abu Safiya's immediate release and said the

Al-Ahli hospital had also faced attacks.

Tedros said the WHO and partners had delivered basic medical

supplies, food and water to Gaza's Indonesian hospital and

transferred 10 critical patients to Al Shifa hospital. Four

patients were detained during the transfer, he said.

"We urge Israel to ensure their health care needs and rights

are upheld," Tedros said.

At least 45,514 Palestinians have been killed and 108,189

wounded in Israel's military offensive in Gaza since the Hamas

attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, according to Gaza's health ministry.

(Writing by Dave Graham; Editing by Michael Perry)