11 young cancer patients evacuated from Gaza for treatment

The World Health Organization says 11 children with cancer have been evacuated from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment.

Israel has mostly sealed off the territory since launching an operation in Rafah, on the border with Egypt, in May.

Israel controls all transfer points into and out of Gaza and has only allowed a small number of patients to leave for treatment.

Zaher al-Farra, the mother of child with cancer, said she struggled to provide her daughter with care and basic needs as a result of displacement.

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been grappling with the chaos of war and displacement since October when the Israel-Hamas war started.

"There is no suitable food or drink for her as a sick child who needs special care. This affected her health. She constantly complained of pain in her feet, headaches and dizziness," al-Farra said.

The Health Ministry in Gaza says more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israel-Hamas war.

Thursday’s announcement comes during new efforts to broker a cease-fire to the conflict, now in its 11th month. The count does not distinguish between civilians and militants.

It reflects the magnitude of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, one of the most devastating military campaigns in recent history.

Nermine Abu Shaaban, the patient evacuation coordinator for the WHO, says the children were transferred through the Kerem Shalom crossing into Israel and were headed to neighboring Jordan for treatment.

Seven of the children were transferred by ambulance and the remainder on a bus. The evacuation was organized by the WHO and two U.S. charities.

Israel allows each patient to be accompanied by a female escort vetted by security services, who can bring a small bag of clothes, one mobile phone and a charger.

The war between Israel and Hamas, now in its 11th month, has decimated Gaza’s health system.

Most hospitals have shut down after running out of fuel or supplies, or following raids by Israeli forces.

Israel accuses Hamas and other militants of sheltering in hospitals, allegations denied by hospital staff.

Gaza’s Health Ministry says some 28,000 patients require medical treatment outside Gaza.

The war began Oct. 7 after Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing some 1,200 people and dragging roughly 250 hostages to Gaza.