WHO warns patients in Gaza have been given a death sentence

Monday, October 16th 2023 - 10:08 UTC

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“We are ready to deploy supplies as soon as humanitarian access to the Strip is established,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote

The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed its concern this past weekend regarding the evacuation of patients from northern Gaza and insisted Israel's ultimatum for 1.1 million people to move to the south was tantamount to “a death sentence,” in addition to the risk that the most critically ill might need to be left behind.

Israel warned Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza ahead of an expected ground offensive against Hamas. After the 24-hour deadline, army forces have already begun a new bombardment of the area.

In this context, WHO condemned “Israel's repeated orders to evacuate 22 hospitals serving more than 2,000 patients in northern Gaza.”

“The forced evacuation of patients and health workers will further worsen the current humanitarian and public health catastrophe,” the UN agency added.

The WHO recalled that health facilities in southern Gaza were already operating at maximum capacity and were unable to absorb a dramatic increase in people. Hence, healthcare providers now face the “agonizing choice” of abandoning critically ill patients or endangering them, it was explained.

At the same time, WHO teams have managed to deliver aid for 2,000 patients in the Gaza Strip since the start of the Israeli counteroffensive last weekend, it was announced.

“Despite air strikes and risks to their safety, teams have managed to deliver vital medical supplies for 2,000 patients,” the WHO said on X (formerly Twitter).

The UN agency also called for a cessation of hostilities and the protection of health facilities, medical workers, patients, and civilians.

The WHO also reported that an aircraft bringing supplies to Gaza had landed in the Egyptian town of El Arish, near the Rafah border crossing, which has been closed. “We are ready to deploy supplies as soon as humanitarian access to the Strip is established,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote on his X account.