DaysofPal- The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded a stark warning over the worsening health crisis in the Gaza Strip, reporting that more than 900 patients have died in recent months while waiting for permission to leave the enclave for medical evacuation.
A further 16,500 patients remain on waiting lists, including 4,000 children in urgent need of life-saving treatment.
The organization said that delays in medical evacuation “amount to a death sentence” for critically ill patients.
It stressed that the continued closure of border crossings and restrictions on the movement of patients are accelerating the collapse of Gaza’s already devastated health system.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for the immediate opening of all crossings and unrestricted medical and humanitarian access in and out of Gaza.
Saving thousands of lives, he said, requires removing all obstacles that prevent patients from accessing treatment.
According to the WHO, the agency has conducted 119 medical evacuation missions since May 2024, enabling 8,000 patients, including 5,500 children, to receive care abroad.
However, these efforts fall far short of meeting the rapidly growing number of critical cases requiring urgent transfer.
Inside Gaza, hospitals are functioning at less than half of their operating capacity due to severe shortages of medicines, fuel, and essential equipment.
The shortages are crippling their ability to treat both emergency and chronic conditions.
The WHO said it is coordinating with international and local partners to help rebuild Gaza’s health system, which has suffered massive destruction during the war.
It stressed that international support is now an urgent necessity to prevent further loss of life.
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