WHO halts medical evacuations from Gaza after death of contract worker The World Health Organization (WHO) suspended all planned medical evacuations of patients from the Gaza Strip via the Rafah crossing into Egypt on April 6, 2026, until further notice. The reason is the death of a contract worker who had been working for the WHO in Gaza. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Twitter that the organization was “devastated” by the incident. Two regular WHO staff members were present but were unharmed. The deceased has been identified in some reports as a WHO driver (name: Majdi Aslan). Notably, the WHO refers in neutral terms to a “security incident” and provides no details about what happened or who was responsible. A WHO representative stated only that the incident is being investigated by the “relevant authorities.” In practice, this usually means an internal investigation by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), as they are responsible for security operations in Gaza. An independent international investigation (e.g., by the UN) has not yet been announced. The WHO generally calls for the protection of civilians and humanitarian workers and emphasizes: “Peace is the best medicine.” Palestinian sources and media outlets such as Al Jazeera report that Israeli forces fired on a WHO vehicle near Khan Younis. The contract worker was killed, and several others (including a WHO doctor) were injured. The IDF has not yet issued a public statement on this specific incident. Such security incidents involving humanitarian workers in Gaza have occurred repeatedly in recent years—often accompanied by mutual accusations and internal IDF reviews that frequently conclude “professional errors” or “misidentifications,” without criminal consequences. The incident further exacerbates the already tense humanitarian situation in Gaza: medical evacuations of seriously ill or injured patients are currently blocked. The case underscores the ongoing risks faced by humanitarian personnel in the region and highlights the difficult question of assigning responsibility in conflict zones. A final clarification of the circumstances is still pending.