Red Cross evacuates medical team, patients from Khan Yunis hospital

On Tuesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) announced its intention to evacuate its medical team and patients from the European Gaza Hospital (EGH) in the city of Khan Yunis to its field hospital in Al-Mawasi, in the southern Gaza Strip.

This came in a statement by the ICRC regarding an immediate evacuation order issued by the Israeli occupation army on Monday, claiming that they were “dangerous combat zones.”

The army did not officially order the hospital to evacuate, but it is located in the Al-Fokhari area, which it ordered to evacuate. The hospital is one of the few remaining medical facilities operating in the Strip.

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Commenting on this, the ICRC said that it “will move its team and patients to the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah-Mawasi. Once conditions allow, staff will return to EGH and continue to work there.”

“Thousands of people learned of the evacuation instructions late in the day and fled in panic and fear. This group includes patients, families and the medical professionals who are crucial for the running of EGH,” the statement explained.

“A medical-surgical team from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has been based at EGH since late October, a team comprised of doctors, nurses, and physiotherapists. They have performed over 3,000 surgeries, treated hundreds of burn cases, and provided physical rehabilitation to wounded people.”

The ICRC stressed that “the hospital is now unable to continue functioning effectively because so many staff members have evacuated, including medical, nursing, administration, and support staff.”

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