WHO chief talks about his painful past in Israel-Hamas plea: ‘As a child I…’

The World Health Organization's chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recalled the pain of his own wartime upbringing in Ethiopia as he pleaded global leaders to unite for peace and called for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on X, formerly Twitter, that he was making "a humble plea for ceasefire and peace".

"As a child trapped in the shadows of war, I intimately knew its smell, sounds and sights. I empathise deeply with those now caught in the middle of conflict, feeling their pain as if it were my own," he said, adding, "War brings only devastation, horror, and destruction. Nothing else. In this critical moment, let us rise above the divisions and embrace the path of peace. The truest display of courage lies in choosing peace. I call on world leaders to unite and lead the world towards peace."

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This comes as Israel heavily bombarded Gaza and pushed deeper into the enclave advancing on two sides of the territory’s main city. The UN and medical staff warned that airstrikes have hit closer to hospitals where tens of thousands of Palestinians have sought shelter alongside thousands of wounded. The health ministry in Gaza Strip said that the strikes have killed more than 8,000 people, mainly civilians and many of them children.

Earlier, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus condemned the "unjustified and horrific" Hamas attack, and said that "children are paying the price" in the bombardment of targets in Gaza.

Last year, the WHO chief was re-elected for his second term in May. At the time Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recalled his humble upbringing as "a child of war... from a poor family".

Describing how strong emotions came rushing back during a recent visit to Ukraine, he had then said, in tears, “When I saw the kids, it was the image from more than 50 years ago that came to my mind; so visible, so haunting; the smell of war, the sound of war, the image of war. That's what I don't want to happen to anyone. So I hope peace will come.”

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