A second joint United Nations (UN) mission, led by the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the Palestine Red Crescent Society, has evacuated 31 infants from Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza to a southern Gaza hospital.

UNICEF, UNRWA and UN Mine Action are the other members of the mission.

Six ambulances provided and staffed by the Palestine Red Crescent transported the severely ill babies.

These babies were earlier shifted from the neonatal unit at Al-Shifa to a safer hospital area.

This move was initiated due to shortage of electricity needed for their life support and concerns about security risks within the hospital.

Health workers and patients jointly requested an evacuation as Al-Shifa Hospital could no longer operate due to shortages of clean water, fuel, medical supplies, food, and other essential items as well as the intense hostilities.

Senior WHO personnel, along with a medical specialist and a doctor, spearheaded the mission, accompanied by representatives from UNICEF, UNMAS, and UNRWA.

It involved medical staff from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, and their ambulance vehicles.

The operation included public health experts, logistics specialists, and security staff from UNDSS, OCHA, UNMAS/UNOPS, UNRWA and WHO .

According to WHO, two infants passed away before the evacuation occurred.

More than 250 patients and 20 health workers are still at Al-Shifa, urgently seeking evacuation.

Efforts are underway to plan and execute the evacuation for the remaining patients, their families, and the healthcare workers, stated WHO.