WHO Evacuates 32 Critical Patients from Nasser Hospital in Gaza

Israek soldiers around Nasser Hospital. (Source: Israel Defense Forces)

JAKARTA - The World Health Organization (WHO) said they had completed their second evacuation mission from the Nasser Hospital in Gaza, moving a total of 32 critical patients including children from the location amid fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas agents.

WHO staff said the destruction around the hospital was "indescribable", voicing concern for some 130 sick and injured patients, as well as the 15 medical workers who remained inside the hospital.

"WHO is concerned about the safety and well-being of patients and health workers who remain hospitalized and warns that further disruption to life-saving services for the sick and injured will lead to more deaths," WHO said on the X social media site, reported by The Times of Israel, February 21.

WHO also said efforts to transfer the remaining patients were continuing.

It was further said that the situation at the hospital location was increasingly challenging, due to the absence of electricity and water, while rubbish and medical waste created a breeding ground for disease.

Previously, WHO said Nasser Hospital, the last largest medical complex still functioning in Gaza, was no longer functioning, following the invasion of Israeli special forces last Thursday, following a days-long siege.

The WHO team was not allowed to enter hospitals in southern Gaza on Friday or Saturday, "to assess patient conditions and critical medical needs," said WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, in a post on social media X, reported by CNN.

In his upload, Dr. Tedros also said that there were still many patients being treated at the hospital, with some of them requiring immediate transfer, given the current condition of the hospital.

"There are still around 200 patients in hospital. At least 20 people must be immediately referred to other hospitals to receive health services. Medical referrals are every patient's right," he stressed.

"The cost of delays will be borne by patients' lives," Tedros added, before urging WHO staff to gain access to patients and hospitals.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they "arrested a number of suspects" at the hospital, adding that the operation was still ongoing.

IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said they had "credible intelligence from a number of sources, including from released hostages," that Hamas had previously held hostages at the hospital, with the bodies of deceased hostages possibly in the hospital.