The World Health Organization (WHO) has suspended medical evacuations from Gaza to Egypt via the Rafah crossing after contractor Majdi Aslan, 54, was killed by Israeli forces.
Aslan was driving a WHO-rented vehicle in southern Gaza when it was targeted, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. Israel claims the vehicle posed an immediate threat and fired warning shots before additional fire struck the vehicle.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called the killing a 'devastating loss' and ordered the suspension of evacuations until further notice.
At al-Aqsa hospital, colleagues said Aslan was coordinating patient transfers when the vehicle came under fire. The Rafah crossing, reopened in February as part of a ceasefire deal, has seen limited movement since May 2024.
Over 18,000 Palestinian patients await evacuation, according to local hospitals and the WHO. Israel and Hamas continue to accuse each other of ceasefire violations. Since October 10, at least 733 Palestinians have died in Gaza, while Israel reports five soldier deaths.