The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has appealed to countries around the world to open their doors to critically ill and injured patients from Gaza.

In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Dr. Tedros expressed gratitude to the Italian government for evacuating a new group of patients from the besieged territory. “Nineteen critically ill patients and ninety-three companions were evacuated to Italy yesterday for specialized care,” he confirmed, thanking Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and other Italian officials “for their generosity and solidarity.”

Dr. Tedros reiterated WHO’s ongoing call for other countries to step forward and provide medical evacuation opportunities for Gaza’s wounded, noting that more than 16,500 people urgently need life-saving treatment that is no longer accessible within the Strip.

“We urge more countries to receive patients from Gaza,” Tedros said. “We also call for the opening of all evacuation routes, particularly to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”

The WHO chief’s appeal comes amid worsening conditions in Gaza, where hospitals have been repeatedly targeted by Israeli attacks, medical supplies have run out, and thousands of patients — including children and cancer patients — face death due to lack of medicine, fuel, and medical staff.

Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that the Israeli blockade and bombardment have effectively destroyed Gaza’s healthcare system, leaving tens of thousands of injured civilians without access to proper care.

Since the start of Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza, international health agencies have documented dozens of attacks on hospitals, ambulances, and medical personnel, describing the situation as one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history.

Dr. Tedros’s latest appeal underscores the urgent need for safe humanitarian corridors and international solidarity, as the people of Gaza continue to face starvation, displacement, and the collapse of essential services. (ILKHA)