GENEVA - A Doctors Without Borders official has pleaded for countries to open their doors to tens of thousands of Gazans in dire need of medical evacuation, warning that hundreds have already died waiting.

“The need is really huge,” said Dr Hani Isleem, who coordinates medical evacuations from Gaza for the charity, known by its French abbreviation MSF.

The numbers taken in by countries so far remain “just a drop in the ocean”, Dr Isleem told AFP news agency in an interview on Dec 2.

The World Health Organization estimates that more than 8,000 patients have been evacuated out of Gaza since the war erupted following Hamas’ attack inside Israel on Oct 7, 2023.

It says more than 16,500 patients still need treatment outside of the Palestinian territory.

Speaking at the MSF headquarters in Geneva after accompanying seriously ill and injured Gaza children to Switzerland for treatment, Dr Isleem said that number was based only on patients registered for medical evacuation and the true figure was higher.

“Our estimate is that it is three to four times that number,” he said.

To date, over 30 countries have taken in patients, but only a handful, including Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, have accepted large numbers.

In Europe, Italy has taken in over 200 patients, while

large countries like France and Germany have taken in none

Switzerland in November took in 20 Gaza children who arrived in two batches.

The 13 children, aged two months to 16 years, whom Dr Isleem accompanied last week included four babies with severe congenital heart disease, as well as cancer patients and children requiring complex orthopaedic surgery.