DaysofPal- Gaza’s health officials have cautioned that thousands of critically ill patients are still stuck without access to life-saving care overseas, and the Rafah border crossing’s limited operation is failing to meet even the most basic humanitarian needs.
Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, said the patient evacuation lists prepared for travel through Rafah were reduced from 50 patients per day to only five cases daily during the initial phase, along with their companions. He described the move as wholly insufficient for a health system on the brink of collapse.
Abu Salmiya explained that specialized medical committees are forced to prioritize patients based on the severity of their conditions. He noted that around 450 patients in extremely critical condition remain on waiting lists, with deaths occurring at an almost daily rate because referrals for treatment outside Gaza are delayed.
He added that Israeli authorities had previously rejected between seven and ten cases from each list of 50 patients, including children and women, without providing any justification.
According to Abu Salmiya, current discussions involve allowing only five patients and ten companions to leave on the first day under a “trial” arrangement. This replaces an earlier understanding that allowed 50 patients and 100 companions to cross daily. He warned that maintaining this pace would require years to evacuate those in need, while more patients would continue to lose their lives.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Mohammed Abu Afash, director of the Medical Relief Society in Gaza, said absolute priority is being given to patients in intensive care units and those facing life-threatening conditions. He estimated that more than 4,700 patients require urgent medical transfer outside the Strip.
Abu Afash stated that the total number of patients awaiting treatment abroad exceeds 20,000, including nearly 5,000 children suffering from serious illnesses. He added that more than 1,280 patients have already been killed due to medication shortages and prolonged delays in medical referrals.
He also described a widespread collapse of Gaza’s health system, marked by severe shortages of painkillers and medical supplies. The volume of medicines entering the territory has dropped to levels that fail to cover basic needs. Living conditions continue to deteriorate, with large areas experiencing water outages, including supplies unsuitable even for non-drinking use.
Both Abu Salmiya and Abu Afash called for a clear and rapid humanitarian mechanism to allow patients to leave Gaza without obstruction. They also urged immediate international support to rehabilitate the health sector, warning that continued delays will lead to a further rise in the number of patients killed in the coming period.
The Rafah crossing reopened on Sunday for movement in both directions following the completion of an Israeli inspection point inside the terminal.
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