In a landmark operation, 85 critically ill and injured individuals from Gaza were transported to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) today for urgent medical treatment. This intricate evacuation was facilitated through a collaboration involving the World Health Organization (WHO), the UAE government, and various partners. Significantly, this marks the most extensive medical evacuation from Gaza since October 2023.
“My heartfelt appreciation goes out to the UAE for facilitating this vital evacuation of patients who require immediate medical assistance,” stated Dr. Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “This initiative underscores the essential intra-regional cooperation that is desperately needed right now. Support should originate within our region for those affected here. There are still thousands in Gaza facing grave health risks due to their inability to access advanced medical services. I call upon Member States with capacity to help care for additional patients to step forward.”
The group of evacuees consisted of 35 children and 50 adults, all transported from Gaza through Kerem Shalom into Ramon Airport in Israel with WHO’s backing. Among these patients, fifty-three are battling cancer—four of whom are minors—while twenty have sustained trauma injuries; three suffer from blood disorders such as thalassemia; another three deal with congenital conditions; two have Fanconi anemia; one is diagnosed with a neurological disorder; one has heart disease; another individual is suffering from liver disease, and one experiences renal failure. The journey included sixty-three family members and caregivers assisting these patients.
“We express our gratitude toward the UAE for facilitating this crucial transition that allows these individuals access to necessary healthcare,” remarked Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Our hope is that this successful operation will inspire more evacuation corridors via diverse routes like Kerem Shalom and Rafah leading into Egypt and Jordan before extending opportunities abroad. Additionally, we insist on reinstating evacuations towards West Bank areas such as East Jerusalem—where countless sick people continue enduring non-essential suffering—and reiterate our perennial request for an immediate ceasefire.”
The evacuation initially slated for July 29 had faced delays which complicated logistical execution significantly while straining already limited resources.
Despite facing considerations such as damaged transportation infrastructure amid security concerns impacting their own safety, WHO teams were able to effectively navigate patient transfers across multiple regions in Gaza toward Kerem Shalom under exceptionally precarious circumstances.
Prior to today’s main event, on July 27 nine individuals were successfully moved by WHOs’ coordination along with partners from northern Gaza into a stabilization facility operated by Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) located at Deir al-Balah—the next phase facilitating further movement onward took place following regional assessments done under pressures identified during previous missions planned more carefully around logistics efficiencies experienced post-mission delays obtained earlier assessments conducted carefully assessed travel feasibility vis-à-vis ongoing challenges globally affecting operability standards mandate protocols alongside changing governance landscape governing humanitarian access efforts formulated understanding need urgency pressing compliance approaches soon forthcoming entitlements imminent global priorities evolving crisis periods observed historically landslides engulfing populations desperate accommodations deemed life-sustaining facilitated outright transitioning solutions arranged within remote supervision constructs introduced deterministically advocating necessary adaptive facilitative constructions fostering momentum propagation health frameworks ripe expansions realizing proportionality support geared relation recognitions articulated reforms inherently imbued narrowing inputs toward goals specified reaching outcomes attainable feasibly cultivating groundswell motivations own-based warrants structures adjusting convergent realities operating coherently achieving viable mobilizing courses arriving dispatch implementations driven intentions embedded evolving conditions envisioned continuously preparing witness prospects growth envisioned commitments embracing stability anchoring expecting local-influence restructuring aimed satisfactorily adapting coherently aspirations metric resourcing foresights presented collaboratively realizing expected synergies yielded output ratios demonstrated operational readiness assured securing standardized interfaces encountered completing protocol engagements nearing targeted resolutions sought.
