On November 22nd, the World Health Organization (WHO) in collaboration with the Palestine Red Crescent Society, engaged in a joint mission important to transfer 151 patients, their relatives, and accompanying healthcare workers from Al-Shifa hospital in northern Gaza. This operation was a response to specific appeals from health authorities and hospital officials in Gaza.
This marked the third mission to Al-Shifa within a week, highlighting the urgency of the situation. The sequence commenced with an assessment mission on November 18th, followed by an evacuation mission transporting 31 infants on November 19th.
The scope of the latest mission was daunting. The team facilitated the transfer of 73 severely ill or injured patients, encompassing various medical conditions such as dialysis, spinal injuries, severe chronic ailments, critical care needs, and patients in wheelchairs. The convoy comprised 14 ambulances provided by the Palestine Red Crescent Society, two buses, eight health workers, and 70 family members.
This operation unfolded amidst intense conflict and shelling near Al-Shifa hospital, posing immense risks to the mission’s success. The evacuation lasted for 20 hours, including an unforeseen six-hour delay at an Israeli Defense Force checkpoint, despite an initial agreement for screenings solely at the hospital.
The screening process, involving patients, relatives, and personnel of diverse vulnerabilities, resulted in the detention of six medical personnel, further increasing the critical situation for patients whose conditions were deteriorating rapidly.
Most evacuees were redirected to European Gaza Hospital, while dialysis patients were admitted to Al Najjar Hospital, both located in southern Gaza. WHO remains deeply concerned about the safety of the approximately 100 patients and health workers still at Al-Shifa, owing to the hospital’s deplorable conditions amid ongoing conflicts.
The recent detentions raise alarms for WHO regarding the detained health workers’ well-being, stressing the imperative need to uphold their legal and human rights during this period.
The critical state of Al-Shifa Hospital, deprived of essential resources due to military incursions, necessitates urgent evacuations and ongoing support for other functional hospitals like Al-Ahli. WHO urges authorities to prioritize the safety of medical evacuations, ensuring agreed-upon procedures without jeopardizing patients’ lives.
The organization continues to advocate for secure, regulated evacuations while emphasizing that ultimate responsibility and decisions lie with relevant authorities, emphasizing the urgency and gravity of the situation for Gaza’s healthcare system.
Table of Contents
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- What is WHO?
- Israel-Hamas Conflict
- What is Hamas?
- Al-Shifa Hospital
What is WHO?
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized United Nations agency dedicated to global public health. Established in 1948, WHO operates as the leading international authority on health, working across borders to combat diseases, promote health equity, and enhance healthcare systems worldwide. It sets norms and standards, provides technical support, conducts research, and coordinates responses to health emergencies, striving for accessible healthcare for all. WHO collaborates with governments, organizations, and communities, advocating for evidence-based policies and strategies to achieve better health outcomes and address health challenges across the globe.
Israel-Hamas Conflict
On October 7, Hamas led a surprise terrorist attack on Israel, killing roughly 1,400 people including at least 300 soldiers, according to the Israeli government — in their homes, at a music festival and on the streets.
In retaliation, Israel’s government vowed to destroy Hamas, the armed Palestinian group that dominates the Gaza Strip and is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, Israel and other countries.
What is Hamas?
Hamas is a Palestinian political armed group that was founded in 1987. It’s a militant group that emerged as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation. It was created in 1987 as an offshoot of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood seeking to fulfil its agenda through violent jihad. It gained popularity as a resistance movement against Israeli occupation and Fatah. The United States has designated Hamas a terror organization since 1997. Many other countries, including Israel and most of Europe, see it the same way. Hamas believes that no part of the land of Palestine shall be compromised or conceded. Hamas rejects any alternative to the complete liberation of Palestine.
Al-Shifa Hospital
Al-Shifa Hospital is the largest medical complex and central hospital in the Gaza Strip, located in the neighbourhood of northern Rimal in Gaza City.
Originally a British Army barracks, the site was transformed into a healthcare facility, the Dar al-Shifa or “house of healing”, by the government of Mandatory Palestine in 1946. The hospital was expanded during the Egyptian and later Israeli occupations during the 1980s. The hospital has been prominent during the Gaza–Israel conflict. During the Gaza War (2008–2009), much of the media coverage came from correspondents reporting from the hospital.
In 2014, Amnesty International accused Hamas of using the hospital for torturing and murdering alleged Palestinian collaborators. A former Israeli official also said Hamas leaders were hiding in the hospital. Norwegian doctors Erik Fosse and Mads Gilbert, who were working at the hospital, stated that they did not see any evidence of military activity at the hospital during the war.
