Gaza: UN health agency urges rapid scale-up of medevacs as thousands remain in critical condition
06 February 2025, 12:00 PM
Gaza City, Occupied Palestinian Territory – The United Nations health agency has called for a rapid scale-up of medical evacuations (medevacs) from the besieged Gaza Strip, where thousands of people remain in critical condition following the recent escalation of violence.
The call comes as the World Health Organization (WHO) released a new report on the health situation in Gaza, which found that the health system is on the brink of collapse, with hospitals and clinics overwhelmed with casualties.
“The situation in Gaza is dire,” said Dr Gerald Rockenschaub, WHO’s head of mission in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. “Thousands of people are in need of urgent medical attention, and the health system is struggling to cope.”
The report found that over 2,000 people have been injured in the recent violence, with over 500 in critical condition. The majority of the casualties are civilians, including women and children.
The WHO report also found that the health system in Gaza is facing a number of challenges, including:
- A shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies
- Damage to hospitals and clinics
- A lack of qualified medical personnel
- Restricted access to healthcare for patients
“The situation is unsustainable,” said Dr Rockenschaub. “We need to urgently scale up medevacs to evacuate the most critical patients to hospitals outside of Gaza.”
The WHO is calling on all parties to the conflict to allow for the safe and unimpeded movement of medical personnel and supplies into and out of Gaza. The agency is also calling for increased funding to support the health system in Gaza and to provide medical care to those in need.
“The people of Gaza have the right to health,” said Dr Rockenschaub. “We must do everything we can to ensure that they have access to the medical care they need.”
Gaza: UN health agency urges rapid scale-up of medevacs as thousands remain in critical condition
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