Israel has mostly sealed off the territory since launching an invasion of Rafah, on the border with Egypt, in May. Israel controls all transfer points into and out of Gaza and has only allowed a small number of patients to leave for treatment.

Nermine Abu Shaaban, the patient evacuation coordinator for the WHO, says the children were transferred through the Karm Abu Salem crossing into Israel and were headed to neighboring Jordan for treatment.

Seven of the children were transferred by ambulance and the remainder on a bus. The evacuation was organized by the WHO and two U.S. charities.

Israel allows each patient to be accompanied by a female escort vetted by security services, who can bring a small bag of clothes, one mobile phone and a charger.

Most hospitals have shut down after running out of fuel or supplies or following raids and destructions by Israeli occupation forces. 

Palestinian Health Ministry says some 28,000 patients require medical treatment outside Gaza.