WHO: "Evacuation Order for Gaza Strip ICU Patients Is a Death Sentence"

Criticism has arisen regarding Israel's evacuation order for approximately 1.1 million residents of Gaza City, the central city in the Gaza Strip, to move south.

In particular, there are concerns that the humanitarian situation of vulnerable groups such as critically ill patients was completely disregarded, and that the refugee issue will worsen further.

On the 11th (local time), a local resident expresses anger in front of a building destroyed by Israel's retaliatory bombing in the Gaza Strip, Palestine.
[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), stated at a press briefing that day, "The Gaza health authorities have informed WHO that it is impossible to evacuate hospital patients to the southern Gaza Strip."

Spokesperson Jasarevic criticized, "There are many injured people who rely solely on life-support devices such as ventilators (in Gaza). Moving these critically ill patients is a death sentence for them."

He added, "Demanding local medical staff to evacuate patients like that is more than cruel."

Concerns were also raised that issuing an evacuation order while announcing a large-scale offensive will further worsen the refugee situation across the Middle East region.

According to AFP news agency, King Abdullah II of Jordan met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that day and said, "Palestinians must not be driven out," adding, "The crisis must not spread to neighboring countries or worsen the refugee problem."

He urged, "A corridor must be opened for urgent humanitarian aid to enable medical support and relief activities in the Gaza Strip and to protect civilians," and called for "an end to the escalation in Gaza."

The Israel Defense Forces showed an ambiguous stance regarding the initial report that they had given Gaza residents a 24-hour deadline to evacuate.

Daniel Hagari, chief spokesperson for the Israel Army, said at a press briefing that day, "We are trying to provide time (for evacuation)," and "We know that (complete evacuation) will not be achieved within 24 hours."

When asked whether the 24-hour deadline was officially announced, Hagari responded, "I would not say that is an exact time."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.