DaysofPal- Only 35 patients have been allowed by Israeli occupation to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment abroad, out of approximately 17,000 who are awaiting urgent care, highlighting severe restrictions on medical travel amid ongoing Israeli war and border restrictions.
According to a statement issued by the Palestine Red Crescent Society, the group of 35 patients, accompanied by 62 relatives, departed Gaza on Tuesday via the Rafah crossing to receive treatment outside the territory.
The organization said the evacuation was part of ongoing efforts to enable critically ill patients to access specialized healthcare unavailable in Gaza.
The patients were gathered at the Medical Rehabilitation Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, where Red Crescent medical and emergency teams coordinated the process.
Staff provided logistical support, supervision, and initial medical care to ensure the patients’ safe and orderly transfer to the crossing point.
The organization noted that the evacuation was carried out in coordination with health authorities and the World Health Organization.
Despite this limited movement, thousands of patients and wounded individuals remain stranded in Gaza, awaiting permission to travel.
On June 11, Gaza’s Ministry of Health warned that Israeli occupation is obstructing the departure of around 17,000 Palestinians who have obtained medical referrals for treatment abroad, cautioning that delays could lead to rising death rates among those waiting.
The Rafah crossing was partially reopened on February 2, 2026, under the first phase of a United States-brokered ceasefire agreement, after being closed for nearly 20 months following Israeli control of the crossing in May 2024.
However, it was shut again at the end of February amid the outbreak of war with Iran, before limited operations resumed during March and April.
Since May 21, 2026, the crossing has been operating on a very restricted basis, allowing only pedestrian movement.
Each day, only dozens of patients, wounded individuals, and humanitarian cases are permitted to pass under strict Israeli oversight.
Thousands of critical cases remain trapped inside Gaza, as access to life-saving treatment continues to depend on limited and tightly controlled exit permissions.
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