The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it has almost completely emptied its aid warehouses in southern Gaza after being “advised” by Israel’s army that “active combat” was looming, AFP reports.

Israel has denied that it ordered the WHO to empty its two warehouses in Khan Yunis, as claimed by the head of the UN health agency.

Asked about the discrepancy in accounts, Richard Peeperkorn, the WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, acknowledged that no official order was given, but said his staff was “advised” to swiftly remove their stocks from the warehouses.

Speaking to journalists in Geneva via video-link from southern Gaza, Peeperkorn said the advice was given orally to his team, and that “there’s no paperwork on this”.

“We took out almost 90 per cent of the supplies,” he said. “It was a panic movement.” The supplies have been moved to a single warehouse in Rafah.