UN chief calls for urgent evacuation of 2,500 critically ill children from Gaza  

“2,500 children indispensable beryllium instantly evacuated with the warrant that they volition beryllium capable to instrumentality to their families and communities,” Guterres wrote connected societal media, according to The Guardian.

Just earlier a ceasefire began connected 19 January, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that much than 12,000 patients were waiting for aesculapian evacuation. However, contempt the truce, aesculapian evacuations person not accrued arsenic expected.

Dr Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma surgeon from California who worked successful Gaza past year, warned that galore of these children volition not past without urgent treatment.

“There’s astir 2,500 children who are astatine imminent hazard of decease successful the adjacent fewer weeks. Some are dying close now. Some volition dice tomorrow. Some volition dice the adjacent day,” Sidhwa told reporters aft gathering Guterres, arsenic reported by The Guardian.

Sidhwa explained that galore children request basal aesculapian care, specified arsenic a three-year-old lad whose pain injuries had healed but near scar insubstantial cutting disconnected humor travel to his arm. Without treatment, helium could request amputation.

Dr Ayesha Khan, an exigency doc from Stanford University Hospital, spoke astir children with amputations who deficiency prosthetics oregon rehabilitation. She shared a photograph of 2 young sisters who mislaid their legs successful an attack. They were present orphaned and sharing a azygous wheelchair.

“Their lone accidental for endurance is to beryllium medically evacuated,” Khan told The Guardian.

She besides highlighted strict information rules preventing children from travelling with much than 1 caregiver, making evacuations adjacent harder.

“Their caregiver is their aunt, who has a babe that she is breastfeeding,” Khan explained. “Even though we arranged an evacuation for the sisters, authorities won’t fto the aunt bring her baby. So she has to take betwixt the babe she’s breastfeeding and the lives of her 2 nieces.”

The Israeli defence bureau COGAT, which handles Palestinian affairs, did not respond to a petition for remark connected Guterres’ appeal. Israel’s UN ngo besides declined to comment, The Guardian reported.

The doctors called for a clear, centralised process for evacuations. “Under this ceasefire agreement, determination is expected to beryllium a mechanics successful spot for aesculapian evacuations. We’ve inactive not seen that process spelled out,” said Dr Thaer Ahmad, an exigency doc from Chicago who worked successful Gaza successful January 2024. Khan besides raised concerns astir whether evacuated children volition beryllium allowed to return.

“There is speech of the Rafah borderline opening lone for exits, but it’s exit without close to return,” she warned.

Before the ceasefire, the WHO said it had helped evacuate 5,383 patients since the warfare began successful October 2023, but astir were moved successful the archetypal 7 months earlier the Rafah crossing betwixt Egypt and Gaza was closed.