WHO oPt

Earlier this week, @who supported the medical evacuation of another 24 patients from Gaza to #Jordan. 36 companions travelled with them. Our thanks to Jordan for its continued solidarity. Since October 2023, over 10,700 patients have been evacuated from Gaza for advanced medical treatment to over 30 countries. Still, more than 18,500 patients urgently need medical treatment evacuation. To ensure all patients have access to quality care , WHO reiterates its call to open the medical referral route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and for more countries to step forward to provide the critical, lifesaving medical care required.

Ten children have reportedly died from hypothermia in #Gaza since the onset of winter. As cold temperatures and heavy rains intensify, children and families sheltering in poorly insulated, makeshift structures face extreme exposure, with little protection from the elements. Winter conditions, combined with severe overcrowding and inadequate water and sanitation, are increasing the risk of disease outbreaks. Acute respiratory infections are rising, alongside a growing number of severe cases requiring ICU admission. @who continues to support health facilities with essential medicines and equipment. In addition, with support from @afd_france and @mbrinitiatives , WHO will provide blankets, warm hats for newborns, and thermal “survival” blankets to protect patients from the cold. WHO reiterates its calls for sustained and unimpeded access across the Gaza Strip, and for the timely entry of essential medical supplies and equipment, as well as winterization and shelter materials — all of which are critical to saving lives.

New @WHO podcast: The Frontline Shift This podcast examines one of the most complex emergency health responses in the world: #Gaza. Through firsthand accounts from emergency medical teams coordinated and deployed by WHO, the series revisits key moments from the two-year conflict between October 2023 and October 2025. Episode 1 explores the challenges of patient transfers and medical evacuations during the conflict. Listen 👉 https://www.emro.who.int/information-resources/frontline-shift/

13 700+ children in #Gaza were vaccinated between 9–20 November during a campaign led by WHO, @UNICEF , @UNRWA and partners, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and supported by @gavialliance . The campaign also integrated #malnutrition screening to support the identification and treatment of children. Preparations are already underway for rounds two and three of the campaign. The first round of the campaign demonstrated what is possible when peace is given a chance and health workers, community mobilizers, and international partners work together.

Last week, with @WHO support, Al-Kheir Hospital in Khan Younis #Gaza became functional again, after being forced out of service following attacks in February 2024. WHO has also established a new 20-bed nutrition stabilization centre at the hospital to provide inpatient care for children with acute and severe #malnutrition. With this, Gaza now has 7 operational stabilization centres providing a total of 70 inpatient beds for the treatment of malnutrition. WHO supported the rehabilitation of Al-Kheir Hospital by restoring water, sanitation, power and structural systems, and by supplying essential medical equipment and medicines. Thanks to the generous support of the 🇦🇪UAE through the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives @mbrinitiatives , WHO also equipped Al-Kheir and five other stabilization centres with furniture, including patient beds and examination beds, to support operations.

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 @antoniotajani , and @dpcgov for their generosity and solidarity. We also thank Commissioner @hadjalahbib and @eu_echo for their continued support. 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. We also call for opening of all evacuation routes, particularly to West Bank, including East Jerusalem.

Last week, @who evacuated five patients and five companions to the #Netherlands, for the first time. We thank @minbz and @eu_echo for their generosity and solidarity. We call on more countries to receive patients from #Gaza and provide them with the urgent medical care they need.

Two years of hostilities in #Gaza have doubled the need for #mentalhealth care and support. @who is helping scale up mental health services across Gaza and has delivered medication for over one million people so far. We thank @euandpalestinians and @koica.palestine.office for their vital contributions. However, to truly meet people’s needs, the ceasefire must hold — and lasting peace must be achieved — so that communities can begin to heal from trauma and loss. The best medicine is peace.

إيهاب أبو حطب هو مسؤول الإمداد واللوجستيات لدى منظمة الصحة العالمية في الأرض الفلسطينية المحتلة @who.opt . وهو زوجٌ وأب لخمسة أبناء، ويعيش ويعمل في #غزة. يستيقظ إيهاب كل صباح لغرض واحد هو خدمة أهل بلده، حتى في الوقت الذي ينهار فيه العالم من حولهم. وقد تَحمَّل إيهاب وفريقه مشقة لا يمكن تصورها. وكانت إحدى أكثر اللحظات التي تُغيّر مسار الحياة عندما وقع الهجوم العسكري على دار ضيافة موظفي منظمة الصحة العالمية في 21 تموز/ يوليو 2025 حيث كانت أسرته تتخذ من هذه الدار ملجأً بعد تدمير منزلهم في آذار/ مارس 2024. يقول إيهاب: "في ذلك اليوم، شعرتُ بأن حياتنا مُعرَّضةٌ لخطرٍ كبير. فقد كنت أرى الخوف في عيون أطفالي، وأسمعُ أصوات الهجمات تهز الجدران، وأرى بعيني تدمير كل ما نملك. ولكن ذلك لم يكسرني، بل قَوَّى عزيمتي". "أدركتُ أنني لا يمكن أن أستسلم. وكان علي أن أبقي قويًا، من أجل عائلتي ومن أجل أهل بلدي". وعلى الرغم من هذه المصاعب، كان عمل إيهاب سببًا في لحظات من الفخر. وكان من أبرز لحظات الفخر تلك ما حدث في أيار/ مايو 2024، في بداية التوغل في رفح، عندما تمكَّن إيهاب وفريقه من نقل أكثر من 2,000 منصة مُحمَّلة بالإمدادات الطبية الحيوية من المستودعات في 3 أيام فقط إلى المستشفيات ومستودع آخر تابع للمنظمة. يقول إيهاب: "كانت الإمدادات شريان حياة لعدد لا يُحصى من المرضى والمرافق الصحية". "كان الضغط هائلًا لكننا نجحنا في ظل أسوأ الظروف. وكانت تلك التجربة رسالة تذكير قوية بأهمية عملنا. إنها مسألة حياة أو موت للأشخاص الذين نخدمهم". وبالنسبة إلى إيهاب، كانت المنظمة أكثر من مجرد مكان عمل. لقد كانت شريان الحياة الذي يدعم العمود الفقري للعمليات لضمان استمرار تدفق الإمدادات الطبية إلى المرافق الصحية والشركاء في جميع أنحاء غزة. "أريد أن يعرف العالم أن الأبطال الحقيقيين في غزة هم أناسٌ عاديون، يحدوهم الأمل، وتُحدِقُ بهم المخاوف، ولهم أُسَر يريدون حمايتها". #EMRC72 #شركاء_من_أجل_الصحة

Ihab Abu Hatab is a Supply and Logistics Officer with @who.opt . A husband and father of 5, he lives and works in #Gaza. Each morning Ihab wakes with a single purpose: to serve his people, even as the world around them crumbles. Ihab and his team have endured unimaginable hardship. One of the most lifechanging moments came during the military attack on the WHO staff guesthouse on 21 July 2025 where his family had taken refuge after their home was destroyed in March 2024. “That day, I felt our lives hanging by a thread. The fear in my children’s eyes, the sound of attacks shaking the walls, the destruction of everything we owned. But instead of breaking me, it strengthened my resolve,” he says. “I realized I couldn’t give up. I had to keep strong, for my family and for my people.” Despite these hardships, Ihab’s work has brought moments of pride. One of the proudest came in May 2024, at the start of the Rafah incursion, when he and his team evacuated over 2000 pallets of critical medical supplies from warehouses in just 3 days, moving them to hospitals and another WHO warehouse. “The supplies were a lifeline for countless patients and health facilities,” says Ihab. “The pressure was immense but we succeeded, under the direst conditions. That experience was a powerful reminder of why our work matters. It is a matter of life and death for the people we serve.” For Ihab, WHO has been more than a workplace. It’s been a lifeline that strengthened the backbone of operations to ensure medical supplies continuously flow to health facilities and partners across Gaza. “I want the world to know that the true heroes of Gaza are ordinary people, with hopes, fears and families to protect.” #EMRC72 #Partners4Health

We live in a time of conflict. And in war, healthcare is often a casualty: hospitals destroyed, health workers threatened or attacked, and families unable to access vital services. But health is not simply a casualty of conflict; it can also be a bridge to peace. I’m grateful for the discussion on this vital topic at the @worldhealthsummit 2025.

Since the ceasefire took effect in #Gaza, @who teams have been scaling up our operations. So far, we have: -Deployed an emergency medical team within 24h to boost surgical and emergency care at Al-Ahli Hospital, with more deployments planned in Gaza City as people begin to return. -Brought 8 trucks of medical supplies into Gaza, including insulin, lab supplies, and essential medicines. -Reached European Gaza Hospital to retrieve cancer and other life-saving medications and intensive care unit equipment, including incubators, mechanical ventilators, and patient monitors. Equipment and medicines were transferred to Nasser Hospital. Improvement in access to health facilities and the ability to expand our missions are crucial first steps in providing immediate health support to Palestinians across Gaza. The beginning of the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees brings hope for all those who have suffered over the past two years. This week’s developments mark an important step in the right direction. We are ready to substantially expand our work to save lives and restore health services. Gaza’s health system must be rehabilitated and rebuilt. This crisis gives us the opportunity to rebuild it better: stronger, fairer and centered on people’s needs. The best medicine is peace.