COPENHAGEN: About 1,000 women and children in need of medical care will soon be evacuated from the Gaza Strip to Europe, the head of the World Health Organization’s European branch said in comments published on Monday (October 21).
Israel, which is besieging war-ravaged Palestinian territory, “is determined to carry out 1,000 more medical evacuations to the European Union in the coming months,” Hans Kluge said in an interview with AFP.
He said the evacuations would be facilitated by WHO – the UN health agency – and the European countries involved.
On Thursday, U.N. investigators said Israel deliberately attacked health centers in Gaza and killed and tortured medical staff there, accusing the country of “crimes against humanity.”
Rik Peeperkorn, WHO representative in the occupied Palestinian territories, said in May that about 10,000 people needed to be evacuated from Gaza for urgent medical care.
Since the last war began in October 2023, WHO Europe has already facilitated 600 medical evacuations from the Gaza Strip to seven European countries.
“This would never have happened if we had not continued the (open) dialogue,” Kluge said.
“The same (is true) in the case of Ukraine,” he added. “I maintain an (open) dialogue with all partners.
“Currently, 15,000 HIV-AIDS patients in Donbas, in the occupied territories (of Ukraine), are receiving HIV drugs,” the 55-year-old Belgian said in English, emphasizing the importance of “not politicizing health.”
“The most important medicine is peace,” he said, noting that health workers must be able to do their work in conflict zones.
