Gaza: Up to 10 Palestinians die daily due to Israeli restrictions on medical evacuations
Up to 10 Palestinians are dying every day in Gaza due to severe Israeli restrictions that prevent them from accessing urgent medical care abroad, the Palestinian health ministry has said.
Zaher al-Wahidi, the director of the ministry's information department, said on Monday that "every day, between six and 10 patients who are waiting to travel abroad for treatment die".
He said there were at least 195 cases classified as life-threatening and warned that if they were not evacuated within the next few hours, their lives could be at risk.
There are 1,971 other emergency cases that need to be evacuated within weeks, or they could reach critical levels amid their deteriorating conditions.
Among these cases are 4,000 children and another 4,000 cancer patients.
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Medical evacuations out of Gaza have long been a difficult trial for thousands of Palestinians with Israel's years-long siege on the territory.
Since the start of Israel's genocidal war on the strip, these limitations have only increased, especially with Israeli forces occupying the Rafah crossing and its surroundings.
Located on Gaza’s southern border with Egypt, Rafah is the only crossing for pedestrians and goods that does not pass through Israel.
It is a crucial gateway for both civilians and aid, but has been closed since Israeli forces seized control of it in May 2024.
The reopening of the Rafah crossing, included in the ceasefire deal brokered by the US on 10 October, has also long been demanded by the United Nations and humanitarian organisations.
Repercussions of war on Iran
In early February, the crossing was partially back in operation on both sides for the first time in nearly two years after Israeli forces destroyed it and kept it closed.
Under the new arrangement, it was stipulated that 50 Palestinians would be permitted to enter Gaza from Egypt each day, while approximately 150 Palestinians would be allowed to leave the enclave daily.
However, numerous patients and their guardians were denied travel out of the blockaded strip.
Only 490 patients were evacuated during the entire month of February, which Wahidi describes as a "negligible" number of people.
"We need to evacuate 400 daily, and at least 200 at the minimum, which would end the file of patients and wounded within six months," the director said.
Restrictions on medical evacuations have also intensified in recent days amid the Israeli-US war on Iran, with Israel closing the crossing on 28 February.
Last week, operations were resumed, but remained under strict limitations. No more than 24 patients, along with their companions, have been evacuated since the crossing reopened on 19 March.
Patients are exposed to various problems, the health director said, including complications in lengthy and arduous travel procedures, navigating Israeli conditions as well as the repercussions of the conflict with Iran.
Wahidi noted that more than 1,400 patients out of 20,000 have died since 7 May, 2024 as a result of Israel's siege.
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