The WHO chief urged more countries to receive patients from Gaza.
More than 16,500 Palestinians in Gaza are in urgent need of medical care not available in the enclave, the World Health Organization said on Thursday, calling for the opening of all evacuation routes.
“We urge more countries to receive patients from Gaza, as over 16,500 people still need urgent medical care that is not available in the Strip,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated on X. “We also call for opening of all evacuation routes, particularly to West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
Yesterday, @WHO evacuated 19 critically ill patients and 93 companions from #Gaza to #Italy for specialised medical care.
Grazie mille, Prime Minister @GiorgiaMeloni, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister @Antonio_Tajani, and @DPCgov for their generosity and solidarity.
We… pic.twitter.com/wngiHu1saG
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) November 6, 2025
He noted that the WHO evacuated 19 critically ill patients and 93 companions from Gaza to Italy on Wednesday for specialised medical care. The WHO chief thanked Italian authorities for their “generosity and solidarity” including Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Immunization Campaign
Meanwhile, the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said it has expanded lifesaving health, education and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) operations across Gaza, reaching over 1,000 patients daily and over 35,000 children through in-person learning.
After two years of war, reportedly 1 in 5 children in #Gaza have missed essential vaccines.
UNRWA, together with @UNICEF, @who and partners, is launching a catch-up immunisation campaign to reach 44,000 children with life-saving vaccines and malnutrition screening.
From its… pic.twitter.com/r2h2tCwlO1
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) November 7, 2025
Together with UNICEF, the WHO and other partners, UNRWA is launching a “catch-up” immunization campaign to reach 44,000 children with vaccines and malnutrition screening, the UN agency said.
It noted that after two years of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza, “reportedly 1 in 5 children in Gaza have missed essential vaccines.”
Staggering Death Toll
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of over 68,600 Palestinians, with more than 170,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
The Gaza Tribunal Verdict: A Blueprint to Shatter Israeli Immunity
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
