The World Health Organization evacuated 85 individuals from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, with assistance from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, to receive medical treatment abroad. The evacuation of 30 patients and 55 companions began at the society’s Al-Mawasi field hospital in Khan Younis, in central Gaza, according to the Palestine News Agency.
Details of the Evacuation
WHO facilitated the transfer of the evacuees from the Rafah border crossing, which is controlled by Israeli forces on the Palestinian side and by Egypt. Since late 2023, hundreds of Palestinians injured in the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip have left to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Egypt, Jordan, and other countries.
Impact of the Conflict on Gaza's Healthcare
Several international organizations have accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, where the regime has killed over 73,000 people and injured 173,368 others. Israeli forces targeted several main hospitals in the coastal enclave, leaving some of them out of service or with their facilities damaged. Israel also prohibits the entry of medical items to Gaza considered for civilian or military use, such as anesthetics, surgical scissors, ventilators, oxygen cylinders, and wheelchairs.
