The World Health Organization has suspended medical evacuations from Gaza to Egypt via the Rafah crossing after a contractor was killed by Israeli troops on Monday. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the contractor – named locally as Majdi Aslan, 54 – was killed in a security incident and that two staff were present but not injured. He gave no further details. Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry stated that Aslan was driving a WHO-rented vehicle in southern Gaza when it was targeted by Israeli forces.
Israel's military indicated that its troops identified an unmarked vehicle approaching them and the Yellow Line, posing an immediate threat. They explained that when the vehicle did not stop after warning shots were fired, troops returned fire, resulting in the death of the vehicle's driver. The incident is currently under review.
Tedros announced the WHO's suspension of medical evacuations for sick and wounded Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt until further notice, emphasizing the need for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's regional director, labeled the contractor's death as a devastating loss and noted that the halt of medical evacuations cuts off a critical path for patient care.
Colleagues at al-Aqsa hospital described Majdi Aslan's vehicle as clearly marked with WHO logos and confirmed it was part of a coordinated convoy for patient transport when it came under fire from an Israeli tank. Raed Aslan, a relative, denounced the attack, calling for accountability amid ongoing violence.
The Rafah crossing had been reopened for limited movement of individuals as per a ceasefire earlier in the year but faced closures amid the ongoing conflict. Recent reports indicate that over 18,000 Palestinian patients are currently awaiting treatment outside Gaza, highlighting the dire need for access to medical care in the region.
Israel's military indicated that its troops identified an unmarked vehicle approaching them and the Yellow Line, posing an immediate threat. They explained that when the vehicle did not stop after warning shots were fired, troops returned fire, resulting in the death of the vehicle's driver. The incident is currently under review.
Tedros announced the WHO's suspension of medical evacuations for sick and wounded Palestinians from Gaza to Egypt until further notice, emphasizing the need for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's regional director, labeled the contractor's death as a devastating loss and noted that the halt of medical evacuations cuts off a critical path for patient care.
Colleagues at al-Aqsa hospital described Majdi Aslan's vehicle as clearly marked with WHO logos and confirmed it was part of a coordinated convoy for patient transport when it came under fire from an Israeli tank. Raed Aslan, a relative, denounced the attack, calling for accountability amid ongoing violence.
The Rafah crossing had been reopened for limited movement of individuals as per a ceasefire earlier in the year but faced closures amid the ongoing conflict. Recent reports indicate that over 18,000 Palestinian patients are currently awaiting treatment outside Gaza, highlighting the dire need for access to medical care in the region.
