WHO evacuates 41 critical patients from Gaza in 1st operation since ceasefire

GENEVA

The World Health Organization (WHO) said late Wednesday that it carried out the first medical evacuation from Gaza since a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct. 10, transferring 41 critically ill patients.

In a post on the US social media company X’s platform, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the evacuation marked the resumption of lifesaving transfers which paused during months of an intense Israeli war.

"WHO led today medical evacuation of 41 critical patients and 145 companions out of Gaza – first since the ceasefire," he wrote.

Tedros said that "around 15,000 patients are still waiting for approval to receive medical care outside Gaza," stressing that many remain in urgent need of treatment unavailable in the enclave's damaged health facilities.

"We continue to call on countries to show their solidarity and for all routes to be opened to expedite the medical evacuation," he added.