Thousands of patients in Gaza, including many children, require urgent medical evacuation, the World Health Organization says.

At Nasser Hospital, two 10-year-old boys are among those waiting. One was shot and is paralysed from the neck down, while another suffers from a brain tumour needing specialist treatment unavailable in Gaza.

Amar Abu Said, who was hit by a stray bullet while sheltering with his family in southern Gaza, is among the most serious cases. The bullet is lodged between his vertebrae, leaving him paralysed.

His mother, Ola, says doctors warned that surgery carries major risks, including death or stroke, but it is his only chance of recovery.

The WHO estimates that around 15,000 patients need to be transferred for life-saving treatment as Gaza’s health system struggles to cope.