Over 80 patients evacuated from Gaza in biggest operation of war – WHO

At least 85 sick and severely injured Palestinians from Gaza, including 35 children, were evacuated to Abu Dhabi for specialised care, the director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.

"This extremely complex joint evacuation was supported by the (United Arab Emirates), WHO, and partners. It is the largest medical evacuation since October 2023," Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on X.

The evacuated patients suffered from various severe conditions, including cancer, neurological issues and cardiac diseases. They were accompanied by 63 family members and caregivers, Tedros said.

The patients were transferred from Gaza via the Kerem Shalom crossing into Israel, then to Ramon Airport near Eilat in southern Israel, and then flown to Abu Dhabi.

"Fifty-three patients have cancer, including four children; 20 have trauma injuries; three have blood diseases, including thalassemia; three have congenital conditions; two have fanconi anaemia; one has a neurological condition; one has cardiac disease; one has liver disease; and one has renal failure," the WHO said.

Since October, around 5,000 people have been evacuated for treatment outside Gaza, with more than 80 percent of those receiving care in Egypt, Qatar and the UAE.

Over 10,000 more people in Gaza still need medical evacuation, the WHO said.

"We are thankful to the UAE for supporting the evacuation of these patients to receive the urgent care they need," said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"We hope this paves the way for establishing evacuation corridors via all possible routes, including the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings to Egypt and Jordan and from there to other countries.

"We also call for evacuations to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to be restored. Thousands of sick people are suffering needlessly. Above all, and as always, we call for a ceasefire."

Gaza's medical sector has been crippled after a nearly 10-month-long war on Gaza, which has since killed over 39,000 Palestinians.

During the conflict, Israel has raided and bombed hospitals, justifying its actions by saying Hamas allegedly uses the facilities for military purposes. Many of them are currently shuttered.

Medical evacuations from Gaza have been rare since May when the main crossing used for medical transfers, Rafah, was shut as Israel stepped up its military operation in southern Gaza.