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 reported that Aslan was driving a WHO-rented vehicle in southern Gaza when it was targeted by Israeli forces. In response, Israel's military stated that its troops 'identified an unmarked vehicle approaching them and the Yellow Line, posing an immediate threat,' and that troops fired warning shots before responding with additional fire that hit the vehicle. The incident is currently under review.
Tedros communicated the WHO's decision to suspend medical evacuations of sick and wounded Palestinians from Gaza until further notice and emphasized the need for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's regional director, expressed that the contractor's killing was 'a devastating loss' and denounced the suspension as cutting off a critical pathway to care for patients.
Colleagues of Majdi Aslan contended that the vehicle was clearly marked with the WHO logo and that it had been part of a coordinated convoy transporting patients. Raed Aslan, a relative, criticized the ongoing violence, stating, 'What ceasefire is this? Every day we have someone killed.'
The Rafah crossing, which recently reopened for limited movement, has been a crucial exit point for patients needing medical attention, with reports indicating that over 18,000 Palestinians are waiting for treatment. The escalation of violence has resulted in continuous clashes, with reports of multiple fatalities on both sides since the ceasefire agreement was reached in October.
Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry reported that Aslan was driving a WHO-rented vehicle in southern Gaza when it was targeted by Israeli forces. In response, Israel's military stated that its troops 'identified an unmarked vehicle approaching them and the Yellow Line, posing an immediate threat,' and that troops fired warning shots before responding with additional fire that hit the vehicle. The incident is currently under review.
Tedros communicated the WHO's decision to suspend medical evacuations of sick and wounded Palestinians from Gaza until further notice and emphasized the need for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers. Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's regional director, expressed that the contractor's killing was 'a devastating loss' and denounced the suspension as cutting off a critical pathway to care for patients.
Colleagues of Majdi Aslan contended that the vehicle was clearly marked with the WHO logo and that it had been part of a coordinated convoy transporting patients. Raed Aslan, a relative, criticized the ongoing violence, stating, 'What ceasefire is this? Every day we have someone killed.'
The Rafah crossing, which recently reopened for limited movement, has been a crucial exit point for patients needing medical attention, with reports indicating that over 18,000 Palestinians are waiting for treatment. The escalation of violence has resulted in continuous clashes, with reports of multiple fatalities on both sides since the ceasefire agreement was reached in October.
