UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, calling for an urgent evacuation for 2,500 children in Gaza who need immediate medical treatment. This call emerged after his meeting with American doctors who revealed that many children were in critical condition and threatened to die in the near future.
In his upload on social media X, Guterres stated that he was “highly touched by the testimony and dedication of four American doctors who had served in Gaza. ” He stressed that “These children must be evacuated immediately with guarantees they can return to their families and communities after receiving treatment.”
The condition of the children in Gaza worsened
Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, a trauma surgeon from California who volunteers in Gaza for the past 15 months, revealed that many children are currently in life threatening conditions.
“Around 2,500 children are very risky to die in the next few weeks. Some of them are dying now, some may not last until tomorrow, “he said.
According to him, most of these children only need basic care, but health facilities in the destroyed Gaza made them unable to get it. He gave an example of a three -year -old boy who suffered burns on his arm, but without proper treatment, his scar tissue inhibits blood flow to the risk of amputation or even death due to infection.
Gaza health system totally paralyzed
“Cases like this can actually be handled easily in proper health facilities, even in countries with a simple health system,” said Dr. Sidhwa. “However, because Gaza’s health infrastructure has been destroyed, basic treatments become impossible.”
In addition, many children have experienced amputation due to attacks, but did not get access to prosthesis or recovery therapy. Another doctor on duty in Gaza from November to January showed how difficult this condition was by sharing photos of two sisters who lost their limbs and had to share a wheelchair.
“They lost their parents in an attack that also injured them. Their only hope to survive is immediately evacuated to get proper care, “he explained.
Evacuation efforts through the rafah crossing
In the midst of getting worse conditions, the European Union has sent a border mission to the Rafah crossing to help the evacuation process and support border personnel Palestinea.
“This mission aims to help facilitate the transfer of individuals from Gaza, especially those who need urgent medical treatment,” said the Head of the European Union’s Foreign Policy, Kaja Kallas, in his upload on social media.
Rafah crossing, which is an important path for humanitarian assistance to Gaza, has been closed since May 2024 due to Israeli land attacks in the region. Now, international pressure is increasing so that this path is reopened to save the lives of thousands of residents, especially children who really need medical help.