GAZA STRIP (Palestinian Territories) (AFP) – Israel's raid on a major Gaza hospital and the arrest of its director over alleged links to Hamas have drawn global attention to the war-ravaged territory's crumbling healthcare system.

The head of the World Health Organization has called for an end to attacks on hospitals in Gaza. "Hospitals in Gaza have once again become battlegrounds and the health system is under severe threat," Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

Northern Gaza’s last remaining major hospital is now out of service after a raid by Israeli forces severely damaged the building and emptied its wards of patients and doctors.

Israeli forces have been attacking the Kamal Adwan Hospital for several weeks. Rebel forces in Syria are building a transitional government after toppling the regime of President Bashar Assad in a lightning-quick advance across the country.

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,