Gaza patients in limbo amid Israel’s ‘pilot reopening’ of Rafah crossing | Israel-Palestine conflict | Al Jazeera
Palestinian patients in Gaza remain trapped in uncertainty as Israel begins a limited reopening of the Rafah border crossing. The crossing, a vital exit point for medical travel, has allowed only a small number of people to leave, leaving thousands of critically ill patients still waiting for permission. Many require urgent treatment unavailable inside Gaza due to damaged hospitals, shortages of medicine, and overwhelmed healthcare facilities. Families describe long delays, unclear procedures, and repeated cancellations, worsening both physical and mental suffering. Aid groups warn that the restricted reopening falls far short of meeting humanitarian needs, especially for cancer patients, children, and those needing specialised surgeries. Doctors say delays are costing lives, as conditions worsen while approvals are processed slowly. Despite international pressure, movement remains tightly controlled, with no clear timeline for broader access. For Gaza’s patients, hope and fear continue side by side as survival depends on border decisions beyond their control.
The Key points
- Rafah crossing reopened only on a limited, trial basis
- Thousands of Gaza patients still denied medical travel
- Cancer and critical care cases face severe delays
- Hospitals in Gaza lack medicines and advanced treatment
- Families report confusing and inconsistent approval processes
- Aid agencies warn limited access is insufficient
- Children and elderly patients are most affected
- Doctors say delays are leading to preventable deaths
- Border movement remains tightly restricted
- No clear timeline for full reopening announced
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