More than 1,000 Palestinians died in the Gaza Strip while waiting for Israeli approval for medical evacuation between July 2024 and late November this year, the W.H.O. said on Friday.

Rick Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) representative for the occupied Palestinian territories, told reporters at the United Nations headquarters in New York that at least 1,092 patients died between July 2024 and November 28, 2025, citing data from Gaza’s health authorities.

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As the death toll is likely an underestimation, since it is based only on reported casualties, the W.H.O. is pressing additional countries to receive patients from Gaza and calling for medical evacuation routes to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to be reopened.

Since May 2024, the UN agency has carried out 119 medical evacuation missions from Gaza, transferring 8,000 patients for treatment outside the territory, including 5,500 children. Most patients were taken to countries in the Middle East and Europe.

Peeperkorn said there was a severe shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies needed to treat heart disease and other medical conditions. On that line, 18 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals and 43 percent of primary health care centers are operating only partially.

Despite improvements in approval rates for supplies entering Gaza, Peeperkorn said the process of delivering medicines and medical equipment remained slow and unnecessarily complicated.

Last month, the W.H.O. reported that about 16,500 patients were still waiting to be evacuated from Gaza, with delays continuing on the Israeli side.

1 in 5 children under 3 in #Gaza are either zero dose or have missed routine vaccines due to conflict, leaving them vulnerable to dangerous diseases.

A catch-up campaign is underway to protect them against measles, polio, pneumonia & more. #VaccinesWork #HealthForAll https://t.co/4e0otNDaAa

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) November 11, 2025

Humanitarian toll

During two years of genocide, the Zionist military deliberately targeted hospitals and other key infrastructure. Despite the implementation of a ceasefire in October, aid organizations and Gaza authorities have said that the amount of assistance entering the territory remains insufficient.

Israel’s aggression in Gaza has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians since October 2023.

Israel’s genocide in Gaza has killed at least 70,373 Palestinians, with near-daily attacks continuing during a so-called ‘ceasefire,’ amid widespread destruction and worsening weather conditions. pic.twitter.com/HWm7DA1rZZ

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) December 14, 2025

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