World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for emergencies, Richard Brennan, has revealed that all 31 babies evacuated from Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital were suffering from serious infections. Two more babies died before they could be evacuated and a third of those taken to a hospital in southern Gaza were in critical condition.
According to Brennan, 11 of the babies were classified as critical and all had serious infections, with many of them having low birth weights. He highlighted the difficult road ahead for these newborns. In addition, he expressed concern about the whereabouts of the babies’ parents, adding to the heartbreak of the situation.
Despite an announcement by the Gaza Health Ministry that 30 babies would be flown to Egypt the next day, Brennan warned that the transfers would be phased as some children were too critical to be moved. He also noted that approximately 291 patients and 25 staff members remain at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.