WHO Evacuates 32 Patients from Besieged Gaza Hospital

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced that it successfully evacuated 32 patients from the beleaguered Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, amidst grave concerns for the well-being of those still trapped inside. The situation around the hospital, located in Khan Younis, has been described by WHO staff as “indescribable” due to the dire conditions following Israeli troops’ entry into the facility last Thursday, after intense combat in the vicinity.

Despite initial access denials on Friday and Saturday, the WHO managed to conduct two critical missions to relocate 32 patients in dire need, including two children, to safer healthcare facilities within the Gaza Strip over Sunday and Monday. These efforts also allowed for the delivery of essential medical supplies and sustenance to the remaining patients and hospital staff.

The evacuation signifies a substantial hit to Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, as the Nasser Medical Complex faces severe shortages, lacking electricity, running water, and becoming a potential hotbed for disease due to accumulating medical waste. The surrounding destruction, characterized by WHO personnel as indescribable, paints a grim picture of burnt-out buildings and debris-laden landscapes, leaving no road untouched.

Despite these efforts, approximately 130 patients and at least 15 medical personnel remain in dire conditions within the hospital. The intensive care unit has ceased operations, prompting the transfer of the sole ICU patient to another section of the hospital for minimal care.

The WHO has expressed deep concern for the safety and health of those still within Nasser Hospital, warning of the dire consequences if life-saving medical care continues to be interrupted. This situation underscores the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict initiated by Hamas’s attack on October 7, which led to significant casualties in Israel and has since resulted in the deaths of over 29,195 individuals in Gaza, predominantly women and children, as per the latest figures from the territory’s health ministry governed by Hamas.