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STORY: WHO / GAZA
TRT: 7:56
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT WHO ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 10-11 SEPTEMBER 2024, GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE
10 SEPTEMBER 2024, EUROPEAN GAZA HOSPITAL, RAFAH, GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE
1. Various shots, recently restored hospital ward, patients sitting on mattresses, hospital beds, walking around, talking to WHO team members
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Huda Hammad, Parent of Evacuation Patient Ahmad:
“My son Ahmad has been suffering since birth from ventricular septal defect (VSD), and Pulmonary Hypertension, we transferred him to Al-Makassed Hospital in Jerusalem to perform an open heart surgery, and during the surgery his heart stopped, and doctors were force to install a pacemaker to regulate his heartbeat, and Ahmad’s life is completely dependent on it.”
3. Various shots, Huda, Ahmad and her other children
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Huda Hammad, Parent of Evacuation Patient Ahmad:
“Unfortunately, six months ago, the doctor told me that the battery was about to expire, and we made an urgent transfer to save his life.”
5. Various shots, exteriors, patients sitting on chairs, waiting for the evacuation to begin, close ups of faces, WHO team in discussion
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr Athanasios Gargavanis, Trauma surgeon and Emergency Officer, World Health Organization (WHO):
“We are at the European Gaza Hospital in Gaza. Behind me, we have more than 250 patients and caretakers that tomorrow, are going to cross from Gaza Strip to Kerem Shalom, and from there through Israel to UAE for the continuum of their treatment. This is one of WHO’s main activities, making sure that patients are able to secure their continuum of their care outside of the Gaza Strip during this armed conflict. However, this endeavour is far from easy. Patients have to be individually brought here from different locations all along the Strip, and this place has to be properly rehabilitated to make sure that we can, we can secure a secure stay for them overnight. It is important as well to say that none of these patients are able to travel outside of here unless they are properly cleared and checked from the Israeli authorities, the Ministry of Health and the UAE authorities. It's a big process and WHO will make sure that all these aspects are covered.”
7. Various shots, exteriors, patients and caretakers sitting on chairs in rows, having paperwork checked and signed and listening to a briefing by the WHO team
8. Various shots, ambulances arriving carry additional patients who are to be evacuated; patients being helped out of the ambulances
9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bayan Munir Abu Sultan, Evacuation Patient:
“I am suffering from Hodgkin's Lymphoma and this type of cancer spreads very quickly, in one or two months it spreads throughout your entire body, unlike other types of cancer. My trip was extremely tiring, and I came here to south so I can travel, and get treated outside the country by God’s will, and with the help of WHO. “
11 SEPTEMBER 2024, EUROPEAN GAZA HOSPITAL, RAFAH, GAZA STRIP, PALESTINE
10. Various shots, exteriors, patients and caretakers boarding the ambulances and being attached to monitoring equipment
11. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Huda Hammad, Parent of Evacuation Patient Ahmad:
“These are our last moments, before heading to the crossing point. We are now in an ambulance so that they can take care of Ahmed's condition and deliver him to the Israeli side safely. God willing, we will reach the Emirates safely and Ahmed will be treated and recover and return healthy and safely to the country by God’s will.”
12. Various shots, exteriors, patients and caretakers boarding the busses and waiting for the evacuation convoy to depart
13. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Father of Rafeef Al-Dyadah, Evacuation Patient:
“My feelings are divided in two. From one side I am feeling very joyful that we obtained the approval to travel outside and treat my daughter, and the second feeling is that I feel very sad that we had to go alone and leave my wife and my other children at home. Of course, we pray to God that we reach our destination safely, and get our goal achieved of the required health treatment.”
14. Med shot, Rafeef and father on the bus waiting to depart.
15. Various shots, convoy ready to go, smiling children waving, a convoy team briefing
16. Various shots, the busses and ambulances departing for the Karem Shalom crossing
The World Health Organization (WHO) and partners today (11 Sep) evacuated 97 sick and severely injured patients and 155 companions from Gaza in the largest medical evacuation since October 2023.
Patients were transported via Kerem Shalom to Ramon Airport in Israel for onward travel to Abu Dhabi for specialized care. Patients included 45 children and 52 adults with a wide range of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, congenital anomalies, blood and liver diseases and trauma/injuries.
Despite severe operational challenges and insecurity, WHO and partners ensured the transfer of the patients and set up a receiving facility at the European Gaza Hospital where patients were gathered before departure.
This highly complex operation was completed under immense time pressure to bring all patients together.
A special mission to the north was conducted to ensure 8 patients and 12 companions were transferred from Gaza City to the European Gaza Hospital just in time for the evacuation, as well as to deliver fuel for the ongoing polio vaccination.
