The World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Tuesday that it is preparing a major medical evacuation from Gaza, aiming to transfer up to 113 severely ill and injured patients to the United Arab Emirates and Romania on Wednesday.
The WHO described this as the largest evacuation effort from Gaza since October 2023.
The patients, who include trauma victims and those with serious conditions such as cancer, will be transported from various hospitals across the Gaza Strip to the Gaza European Hospital near Khan Yunis before being taken to the Kerem Shalom crossing for international transfer.
According to Rik Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative in the Palestinian territories, around 14,000 people in Gaza currently need medical evacuations, with roughly half suffering war-related injuries.
Since the October 7 conflict escalation, fewer than 5,000 patients have received medical evacuation approval, and access remains limited. Peeperkorn urged for regular, safe medical corridors to allow patients to reach East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and other destinations in need of urgent care.
