Issued by the General Union of Palestinian Journalists in Britain
Call for independent international management of the Gaza wounded and patient evacuation file, replacing the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization.
Dr. Mohammed Zaqout—Director General of Health in Gaza (affiliated with Hamas)—and Salwa Masaad—Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) office in Palestine—are implicated in this crisis.
The handling of medical treatment and the evacuation of wounded individuals and patients from the Gaza Strip to locations abroad has raised growing questions regarding the management of medical referrals, case selection criteria, the organization of travel lists, and the level of transparency in dealings with patients and their families.
Amidst the complaints and accusations regarding the management of medical referrals and patient evacuations, there are calls to clearly define administrative responsibilities and to launch an independent investigation into the performance of the officials in charge of this file—specifically Dr. Mohammed Zaqout and Salwa Masaad, given their roles in managing and overseeing the evacuation and referral process.
According to testimonies attributed to a number of wounded individuals and patients’ relatives, some reported being compelled to pay sums of money—described as bribes or unofficial payments—to facilitate travel and medical treatment outside the Gaza Strip.
Some of these testimonies cite substantial amounts, reportedly reaching up to $25,000 in certain cases. These allegations necessitate an independent investigation to determine who solicited these funds, to whom they were paid, and whether there was any involvement by employees, intermediaries, or entities linked to the medical referral process. Accordingly, the General Union of Palestinian Journalists in Britain calls for a proposal to establish an independent international body to manage the file of the wounded and sick from Gaza. This body would oversee assessment, referral, evacuation, and treatment outside the Strip, rather than leaving the matter entirely to the Gaza Ministry of Health or the World Health Organization.
This body could be managed by a foreign state or a group of nations, in coordination with independent international medical institutions, with a mandate to:
- Establish clear, standardized medical criteria for case selection.
- Compile patient lists based on medical need and humanitarian priority.
- Prevent any factional or political interference in treatment and evacuation decisions.
- Create a transparent electronic system to track each patient’s case.
- Provide an independent mechanism for complaints and appeals.
- Publish periodic reports on the number of evacuated patients and those still awaiting evacuation.
- Subject the body to independent financial and administrative audits.
التاريخ 22-9-2026
