GENEVA, Dec 19 (KUNA) -- Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called Friday for the urgent restoration of evacuation from Gaza to the West bank, including East Jerusalem, and to other countries.
In a post on (X), Ghebreyesus warned that more than 1,092 people have died between July 2024 and November 2025 while waiting for medical evacuation, stating, "Since October 2023 WHO and partners have evacuated over 10,600 patients from Gaza with severe health conditions including over 5,600 children each one in need of critical advanced treatment." However, He stressed that thousands remain trapped without access to life-saving medical care.
For his part, WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva that more than 18,500 patients including approximately 4,100 children are still waiting to be medically evacuated from Gaza.
Jasarevic also reported that at least 10 people have died as a result of the heavy rains warning of the growing risks of outbreaks of waterborne diseases, diarrhoea, hepatitis and respiratory infections due to the lack of clean water and adequate sanitation.
Meanwhile, UNICEF spokesperson Ricardo Pires confirmed that at least three children have died in Gaza in December from hypothermia warning that the number is likely to rise amid freezing temperatures, floods, ongoing displacement and the lack of medical support. (end) imk.mt