The World Health Organization raised serious concerns about Israel’s evacuation orders, which would move more than 2,000 patients from 22 hospitals in northern Gaza. The organization described the plan as potentially deadly, noting that it could amount to a death sentence for those already reliant on hospital care. The warning came after reports circulated by RIA News and various health officials who stressed the gravity of redirecting patient flow under conditions of limited capacity.
WHO underscored that hospitals in southern Gaza are already operating at or beyond full capacity and may not be able to absorb a sudden surge of patients from the north. Health workers described ongoing strain as they treat an influx of injured people, with many facilities reporting that they are struggling to maintain normal operations while numbers keep climbing.
The organization urged Israeli authorities to reconsider or suspend these evacuation directives, arguing that the immediate health needs of people in northern Gaza would be jeopardized by forced relocations without adequate medical support along the way.
Meanwhile, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell indicated a preliminary stance that the proposal to relocate up to one million residents in the northern Gaza Strip warranted additional review, given humanitarian and security considerations. This sentiment added to a broader international call for caution and protection of civilian lives during the worsening crisis.
On 7 October, Hamas launched a large-scale attack in Israel, firing thousands of rockets and initiating what was described as Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. Armed groups reportedly breached into Israeli territory, seizing military equipment and detaining numerous hostages. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared the country to be at war and ordered a broad range of military actions against the group.
Israel’s Defense Forces launched a sustained operation named Iron Swords, with the stated objective of neutralizing Hamas capabilities in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Air Force conducted widespread strikes targeting Hamas sites, while Israel’s National Security Council moved to impose severe restrictions on the movement of essential goods such as water, food, electricity, and fuel into Gaza. On 13 October, the United Nations cautioned that up to 1.1 million Palestinians might need to relocate to southern Gaza within a 24-hour period ahead of any potential ground operations, intensifying humanitarian concerns in the region.
Prime Minister Netanyahu later described the escalation as an unprecedented attack and emphasized the seriousness with which Israel was responding to the threat. The situation remained fluid as both sides faced mounting casualties and widespread disruption to civilian life.