Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) plans to evacuate up to 1,000 women and children in need of urgent medical care from Gaza to Europe, according to Hans Kluge, head of WHO's Europe branch. Israel, currently besieging the war-torn Palestinian territory, has committed to facilitating these medical evacuations to European Union countries over the coming months.

The evacuations, to be coordinated by the WHO and European countries, follow the latest conflict that began in Gaza in October 2023. So far, 600 Gazans have already been evacuated to seven European countries. Kluge emphasized the importance of maintaining open dialogue with all parties, which he said was essential for facilitating such operations in conflict zones like Gaza and Ukraine.

The announcement comes amid accusations from UN investigators that Israel is deliberately targeting health facilities in Gaza and committing "crimes against humanity" by killing and torturing medical personnel. According to WHO's representative in the Palestinian territories, around 10,000 people in Gaza require immediate medical evacuation.

Kluge also expressed concerns about the humanitarian impact of conflicts in other regions, including Ukraine, where the ongoing war has severely damaged 80% of the civilian energy grid, making the approaching winter particularly challenging for healthcare services. He urged the global community to avoid politicizing health and called for a global pandemic treaty to ensure preparedness for future crises.

The WHO’s European strategy for pandemics will be presented on October 31, and Kluge, who has led WHO Europe since February 2020, is expected to be re-elected for another term later this month.