WHO Halts Gaza Medical Evacuations After Worker Killed

Geneva: The World Health Organisation suspended medical evacuation from Gaza after a person who was contracted to provide services to the UN agency was killed during a "security incident", said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a statement, said that WHO is "devastated to confirm" the death of the worker. He added that two WHO staff members were present at the incident site but were not injured.

"Following the incident, the WHO suspended today's medical evacuation of patients from Gaza via Rafah to Egypt. Medical evacuations will remain suspended until further notice," he said.

The incident is under investigation by the relevant authorities."We are deeply grateful to our colleagues who work day and night despite the risks to ensure that the people of Gaza can access the health care they need. We call for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. Peace is the best medicine," Ghebreyesus Al Jazeera, citing Gaza's Ministry of Health, reported that more than 1,700 healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses and paramedics, have been killed in Gaza since October 2023. Gaza medical evacuation refers to the coordinated process of transferring severely ill or injured patients out of the Gaza Strip for life-saving, specialised treatment that is currently unavailable due to the near-complete collapse of the local healthcare system.

Earlier, Al Jazeera reported that an Israeli air strike killed at least 10 people and left several others injured near a school housing displaced Palestinians in central Gaza,"At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured, including six in critical condition, by Israeli shelling and clashes east of Maghazi refugee camp," the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said in a statement.

In the midst of the clashes, Israeli drones fired two missiles, killing at least 10 people and wounding several others, the witnesses added.