Medical evacuations from Gaza remain suspended after Rafah crossing closure

Medical evacuations from Gaza have remained suspended since Israel closed the Rafah crossing on February 28. The October ceasefire agreement required the resumption of such transfers, but Israel has permitted only limited movement since then. The World Health Organization states that more than 18,500 patients require evacuation for treatment unavailable inside Gaza.

Before October 2023, 50 to 100 patients left daily for medical care abroad; the current rate has dropped to a trickle.

Cases of patients awaiting exit Fifteen-year-old Rafa al-Qudra lost her eyesight on June 14 after her eye pressure reached 50 mmHg in her right eye and 35 mmHg in her left. Her father, Rafat, said her condition had been managed with glasses and check-ups before the war but worsened after repeated displacement, carrying prohibited loads, malnutrition, and the loss of specialist care.

Five-year-old Fatima Saeed, who has a congenital brain condition, lost the ability to sit, speak, or walk after physiotherapy stopped and living conditions deteriorated. Her mother, Wafaa, said Fatima now requires anti-convulsant medication and repeated hospitalizations.

Ismail al-Aqqad, 40, has lost the use of his limbs and speech due to a degenerative neurological disease. His brother Khaled said medication that previously slowed progression, some costing more than $100 per dose and previously imported from Egypt, is no longer available.

Evacuation statistics and restrictions Gaza's Ministry of Health reports that six to 10 patients die each day waiting to leave and that roughly 1,200 have died since Israel seized the Rafah crossing in May 2024. The WHO temporarily suspended its evacuation coordination in April after a contractor was killed.