In a rare and urgent operation, the World Health Organization (WHO) evacuated 97 people, including nearly 50 children, from Gaza to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for critical medical treatment. The evacuation, which occurred on Wednesday, is the largest since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023. Gaza’s health system has been devastated, with only 17 of 36 hospitals partially functioning, according to WHO estimates.
“The need for medical corridors is urgent. Over 10,000 Gazans are awaiting transfer,” said Richard Peeperkorn, WHO’s representative for the Palestinian territory. The Rafah crossing into Egypt, once a vital route for medical transfers, has been closed since May due to Israel’s intensified military campaign.
The patients evacuated suffer from serious conditions like cancer, kidney diseases and trauma. Their journey involved transport by road and air via Israel’s Ramon airport. Peeperkorn emphasized the dire need for regular, sustained medical evacuations from Gaza.
In another critical development, WHO reported the successful vaccination of over 5,00,000 children against polio in northern Gaza, where the disease resurfaced last month after 25 years. “We are confident we reached our 90% target in this campaign,” Peeperkorn stated.
The conflict has left 22,500 Palestinians with life-changing injuries, such as missing limbs, underscoring the immense need for rehabilitation services in the region for years to come.