Israel-Hamas/WHO will evacuate 100 patients from Gaza Strip. 30 to be transferred to Romania

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced its intention to evacuate over 100 patients from Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the first similar operation in five weeks in Palestine devastated by the war between Israel and Hamas. 30 patients will be transferred to Romania, dpa informed on Tuesday.

The evacuated people include the wounded in Gaza war and patients with chronic diseases, WHO informed. Initially, patients will be taken to Egypt via Kerem Shalom border crossing between Israel and Gaza. Most of them will be sent by plane to UAE, said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in Palestinian territories, in a video conference. About 30 patients will be taken to Romania, he added.

When the border crossing point between Gaza and Egypt closed down at Rafah city, in early May, only 282 patients were evacuated from Gaza Strip, Peeperkorn said.

However, between 12,000 and 14,000 patients, suffering from burns, spine injuries, amputations or cancer, must also receive medical treatment abroad, he added.

The WHO official asked Israel to offer security guarantees to allow the permanent transfer of patients, instead of occasional medical evacuations.

“We cannot continue in the way we do it now,” Pepperkorn also said.

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