Critically ill Gaza patients face years of delay as Rafah crossing reopens
The limited reopening of Gaza's Rafah crossing reveals a severe bottleneck for medical evacuations. Despite Egypt preparing 150 hospitals for influx, Israeli restrictions permit only a handful of patients to leave daily, prolonging the evacuation of over 20,000 critically ill Palestinians for years.
The recent partial reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has exposed a critical bottleneck in medical evacuations, with Israeli restrictions threatening to prolong the process for years. Despite over 20,000 patients requiring urgent external treatment, daily exit permits are severely limited, creating a dire backlog.
A Staggering Medical Backlog
Palestinian health authorities and international organizations estimate more than 20,000 wounded and sick individuals, including over 4,000 children, are awaiting medical transfer out of Gaza. Gaza's largest medical facility, the Al-Shifa Hospital Complex, has prepared an initial list of 450 patients in immediate need. However, with reports indicating Israel is permitting only five patients plus two escorts to exit daily via the Rafah crossing, clearing even this initial group would take approximately three months, and the entire list would require over a decade.
Egypt's Extensive Preparations
In stark contrast to the restrictive exit policy, neighboring Egypt has mobilized significant medical resources to receive patients. Egyptian health officials announced preparations involving nearly 150 hospitals, 12,000 doctors, and a fleet of 250-300 fully equipped ambulances. A central control room has been established to coordinate this large-scale humanitarian effort, highlighting the stark disparity between regional readiness for aid and the constraints on patient movement.
Persistent Uncertainty and Coordination
The evacuation process remains mired in uncertainty and complex coordination. While some reports suggest Egypt will coordinate passenger lists with Israel 24 hours in advance, Palestinian health officials note that previous medical evacuations used the Kerem Abu Salem (Kerem Shalom) crossing and that no official updates on the new mechanism have been provided. This administrative ambiguity further complicates the urgent effort to save lives in the besieged Gaza Strip.
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