World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced on Thursday    the evacuation of 97 critically ill and injured patients and 155 accompanying persons from the Gaza Strip in the largest medical evacuation since October 2023.

The patients were transferred through the Kerem Shalom crossing to Ramon Airport in Israel to continue their journey to Abu Dhabi for specialized care, Ghebreyesus said.

The patients include 45 children and 52 adults suffering from a wide range of illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, congenital malformations, blood and liver diseases, and injuries, he said.