World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has described the newly announced ceasefire between Israel and Hamas as a critical breakthrough toward restoring peace and humanitarian stability in Gaza.
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Thursday, Dr. Tedros praised United States President Donald Trump for facilitating the truce and emphasized that the priority must now shift to protecting civilians and rebuilding Gaza’s devastated health system.
“I welcome @POTUS’s announcement about the ceasefire in #Gaza and hostage release — it is indeed a big step towards lasting peace for both Israelis and Palestinians,” Tedros wrote. “I hope all parties will respect the agreement so the suffering of civilians finally ends, and all hostages are brought home respectfully. WHO stands ready to scale up its work to meet the dire health needs of patients across Gaza and support rehabilitation of the destroyed health system. The best medicine is peace.”
WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus praises Trump’s Israel–Hamas ceasefire deal as a major step toward peace, urging respect for the truce and humanitarian aid.
The ceasefire deal, a major diplomatic breakthrough, follows months of negotiations led by Washington, with Egypt and Qatar mediating between both sides. According to reports, the agreement provides for the release of hostages held by Hamas in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, alongside a substantial increase in humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The Israeli military also confirmed plans to withdraw troops from key areas of Gaza as part of the truce implementation. Under the first phase, Hamas is expected to release at least 20 hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees within 72 hours.
The conflict, which erupted in October 2023 following Hamas’s unprecedented assault on Israel, has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, mass displacement, and the near collapse of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure.
WHO has repeatedly warned of a “public health catastrophe” in the enclave, citing the destruction of hospitals, limited access to medical supplies, and the spread of infectious diseases due to overcrowding and poor sanitation.
Tedros reiterated that the WHO remains fully committed to coordinating emergency medical support and rebuilding efforts in collaboration with the United Nations and international partners.
“This ceasefire offers a narrow but vital window for humanitarian agencies to respond,” he said. “Rehabilitation of Gaza’s health system must begin immediately — lives depend on it.”
The ceasefire agreement, expected to be formally signed in Egypt, represents the most significant diplomatic progress since hostilities began, with hopes high for sustained calm and long-term political dialogue.
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