UNICEF warns Rafah crossing reopening insufficient, 4,000 Gaza children urgently need medical evacuation

The partial reopening of the Rafah border crossing is a positive development but remains drastically insufficient to address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, particularly for children, UNICEF’s chief of communications in Palestine said on Tuesday. Speaking to Anadolu from Gaza, Jonathan Crickx described the limited pedestrian reopening as “an important development” but stressed that the current scale is wholly inadequate given the enormous needs.

Medical Evacuations Urgently Needed

Crickx emphasized that nearly 4,000 children in Gaza require urgent medical evacuation for treatments unavailable locally—including complex surgeries, cancer care, and organ transplants. “If not, they will die,” he warned, citing cases such as a six-year-old girl with embedded shrapnel and a boy in need of a kidney transplant. While Israeli media reported that around 150 Palestinians—50 patients plus companions—may be allowed to cross daily, Gaza health officials estimate about 22,000 patients await full access to medical care abroad.

Cold, Hunger, and Continued Danger

Despite a fragile ceasefire and some improvement in food availability, Crickx said the situation for children remains “absolutely dramatic.” Many families cannot afford available food, leaving thousands of children acutely malnourished. Cold weather has exacerbated the crisis, with children living in makeshift tents without heating, adequate clothing, or sanitation. Since the October truce began, UNICEF reports over 100 children have been killed in Israeli attacks and at least 10 have died from hypothermia.

Humanitarian Access Still Restricted

Although aid flow has increased through the Kerem Shalom crossing, Crickx noted that Rafah remains closed to humanitarian cargo. He called for all crossings to open simultaneously to enable the delivery of reconstruction materials, medical equipment, and rubble-clearing machinery. “We cannot be in several months from now, with still hundreds of thousands of people living in makeshift tents… There is also a question of humanity and dignity here,” he stated.

Background

Israel closed the Rafah crossing in May 2024, nearly nine months into its military offensive that has killed over 71,000 Palestinians, injured more than 171,000, and devastated Gaza’s infrastructure. Its limited reopening was a condition of the first phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, but Israel had previously refused until all hostages were returned.