WHO Halts Gaza Evacuations After Contractor Fatally Shot

(MENAFN) The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Monday it has suspended all medical evacuations out of Gaza following the fatal targeting of a contracted worker operating on the organization's behalf — a development that threatens to further choke off a critical lifeline for the territory's most vulnerable patients.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed the death in a social media post, disclosing that two WHO staff members were present at the scene at the time of the incident but escaped unharmed. He added that an investigation into the circumstances of the killing has been launched by the relevant authorities.

In direct response to the attack, the WHO immediately froze medical evacuations of patients through the Rafah crossing into Egypt, with no timeline offered for when the corridor might reopen. The suspension, the organization stressed, remains in effect until further notice.

Tedros used the moment to issue an urgent appeal for the protection of both civilians and humanitarian personnel operating in active conflict zones, pointedly underscoring that "peace is the best medicine."

The halt deals a significant blow to evacuation efforts that have served as one of the few remaining channels through which critically ill and wounded Gazans could access medical care beyond the territory's battered health infrastructure — raising immediate concerns among aid organizations over the fate of patients already awaiting transfer.

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