WHO Says 900 Patients in Gaza Died Because They Could Not Be Evacuated Due to Israeli Restrictions

Evakuasi pasien dari Jalur Gaza. (Twitter/@DrTedros)

JAKARTA - Hundreds of patients in the Gaza Strip have died while awaiting evacuation, while tens of thousands more are still awaiting transfer to receive needed medical care, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

More than 900 patients have died while awaiting medical evacuation due to Israeli restrictions on issuing travel permits for treatment outside Gaza, according to the WHO, as reported by WAFA on November 16.

Furthermore, approximately 16,500 patients are still awaiting evacuation approval, including 4,000 children in desperate need of life-saving medical transfers, warning that further delays in treating critical cases are tantamount to a death sentence.

The WHO also noted that hospitals in Gaza are operating at less than half capacity due to shortages of fuel, medicine, and essential supplies.

Since May 2024, the organization has carried out 119 evacuation missions, successfully transferring 8,000 patients for treatment outside Gaza, including 5,500 children.

However, thousands of patients remain in dire conditions, facing an uncertain future amid the collapse of the healthcare system.

Separately, medical sources in Gaza confirmed on Sunday that the death toll in the Gaza Strip had risen to 69,483, mostly women and children, since the Israeli offensive began on October 7, 2023.

Furthermore, local health authorities explained that the number of injured had reached 170,706, with many victims still trapped under rubble, as rescue teams were unable to access them due to their location in high-risk areas.

Since the ceasefire agreement was reached on October 11, 2025, the death toll has risen to 266 dead and 635 injured, with 548 bodies recovered.