THE World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the suspension of all medical evacuations from Gaza after a staff member contracted to assist the agency was killed in a security incident on April 6.
“WHO is devastated to confirm that a person contracted to provide services to the organisation in Gaza was killed today during a security incident,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus posted on social media platform X.
He confirmed that two other employees were present at the scene but escaped without injury.
“Following the incident, WHO suspended today’s medical evacuation of patients from Gaza via Rafah to Egypt. Medical evacuations will remain suspended until further notice,” he added.
While the UN health agency did not provide further specifics regarding the circumstances of the incident, Dr Tedros stated that “the relevant authorities” are investigating.
“We call for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers,” he said, emphasising the urgency of safeguarding aid personnel in conflict zones.
The suspension comes amid ongoing tensions in the Gaza Strip, where Israel and Hamas have accused each other of breaching the ceasefire agreement that was enacted on October 10, 2025, following two years of devastating conflict.
The halt in medical evacuations raises concerns over the treatment of patients requiring urgent care, highlighting the persistent dangers faced by humanitarian organisations operating in the region. - April 7, 2026
