More than 1,000 patients have died while waiting for urgent medical evacuation from war-ravaged Gaza in the last year and a half, the World Health Organization said on Friday (December 19, 2025). But he warned that "many more patients remain in Gaza awaiting evacuation to receive appropriate healthcare". Citing numbers from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza, Tedros said that 1,092 patients were known to have died while awaiting medical evacuation just between July 2024 and November 28, 2025. "This figure is likely underreported," he warned, calling on "more countries to open doors to patients from Gaza, and for medical evacuation to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to be restored". WHO spokesman Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva on Friday (December 19) that some 18,500 patients were still in need of treatment outside Gaza, including more than 4,000 children.

Source: The Hindu December 19, 2025 20:12 UTC