Cairo, Copenhagen, Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO), in coordination with its partners, has evacuated 16 persons, including 15 children from Gaza, aged 3 to 17, from Gaza, who
will be provided critical treatment in Spain, after months of hospitalization in Egypt.
These individuals are a small portion of the many others who need prompt specialized medical care outside Gaza.
Commenting on the development, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says, "These critically ill children will finally receive the care they desperately need, thanks to the collaboration of multiple partners and countries.”
He thanked Egypt and Spain for their invaluable support and facilitation and urged other capable countries to participate in such initiatives for the individuals who, due to circumstances beyond their control, were affected by the Gaza conflict.
Among these patients, 13 children suffered complex injuries, while one of them has a chronic heart condition, and another is battling cancer.
These patients, along with their 25 family members and caregivers, have been in Egypt since before May 6, when the Rafah crossing closed. Only 23 individuals had been evacuated via the Kerem Shalom crossing since then.
Since October 2023, around 5000 people have been evacuated from Gaza for medical treatment, with over 80pc receiving care in Egypt, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates.
As per WHO, another 10,000 patients need to be urgently evacuated from Gaza.
WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr. Hanan Balkhy says, "These children are just a glimpse of the larger crisis. Thousands of people, of all ages, remain in Gaza urgently needing medical evacuation and facing the risk of death without prompt access to specialized care."
He stressed the need to allow those requiring evacuation from Gaza to travel, preferably to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, or to Egypt and Jordan, and beyond.
The evacuation of the 16 patients to Spain was supported through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism in collaboration with WHO, while the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund facilitated the necessary documentation and approvals for evacuation.
During their stay in Egypt, the government provided essential support, and Spain will continue this support during their treatment across various hospitals.
WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge thanked Spain, a WHO/Europe Member State, for swiftly responding to its request to admit the children from Gaza for critical treatment, urging other countries to follow the example.
"We commend Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Health Minister Monica Garcia, and all involved for their efforts. Indeed, 'to save one child, one life, is to save humankind'—a principle that underscores the interconnectedness of our global community."
WHO has urged the establishment of multiple medical evacuation routes to ensure consistent, organized, safe, and timely transfer of patients through all available corridors, including Rafah and Kerem Shalom.
There is an urgent need to restore medical evacuations from Gaza to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, given the readiness of hospitals there to receive patients, while facilitation of transfers to Egypt and Jordan, and onward to other countries, if needed, is also important.
WHO DG appreciated the solidarity shown by host countries, saying it is a beacon of hope amid the tragedies of war. "While the provision of vital medical care to severely ill patients should be routine global cooperation, its significance underlines our collective efforts in times of crisis," he said.
WHO also reiterated its call to end the conflict, stating that peace is fundamental to ensure optimal health outcomes for the affected people.