The World Health Organization has evacuated 25 critically ill patients and 92 accompanying family members from the Gaza Strip to European countries, as thousands more remain in urgent need of life-saving medical care unavailable inside the besieged enclave.

According to an official statement, the patients were transferred to Belgium, Italy, Norway, and Romania in a coordinated medical evacuation led by the WHO, with support from European partners. The operation was carried out in cooperation with the foreign ministries of Belgium, Italy, Norway, and Romania, as well as with backing from European humanitarian bodies.

The WHO said more than 18,500 Palestinians — including at least 4,000 children — are currently waiting for medical evacuation from Gaza for advanced and specialized treatment that cannot be provided locally due to the collapse of the health system.

In a statement shared on X, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that despite a fragile ceasefire, medical needs inside Gaza continue to rise. He explained that the number of patients seeking evacuation has increased as more people are now able to reach hospitals for assessment after months of restricted movement and insecurity.

“While we are heartened by the support received so far, the needs are immense and growing,” Tedros said, urging more countries to step forward and accept patients from Gaza.

The WHO stressed that the reopening of all medical evacuation routes is critical, particularly access through the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, which it described as the most cost-effective and time-efficient pathway for transferring critically ill patients.

The organization renewed its appeal for international solidarity, warning that without expanded evacuation channels and broader international cooperation, thousands of vulnerable patients in Gaza remain at risk of preventable death. (ILKHA)