Forty Palestinians, including women and children, returned to Gaza through the Rafah crossing, facing strict Israeli restrictions on movement as they sought medical treatment.
On Tuesday morning, 40 Palestinians, comprising women and children, arrived in Gaza from Egypt through the Rafah crossing, marking the sixth group of returnees since the crossing's recent opening. These individuals were transported to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where medical sources confirmed that some among them were patients and injured individuals seeking treatment that they had been receiving abroad. Since the Rafah crossing reopened, it has been under strict Israeli controls which have significantly limited the number of Palestinians able to travel back and forth.
The situation has been aggravated by ongoing conflict and humanitarian crises. The spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, Raed Al-Nimsa, reported that this particular group included 20 patients and their accompanying family members, emphasizing the continuation of humanitarian efforts by the organization to facilitate the evacuation of seriously ill individuals needing medical care outside the blockaded territory. Amid these efforts, the Israeli authorities have reinstated limited operations at the Rafah crossing, a critical lifeline for many in Gaza, but with considerable limitations on the number of crossings allowed.
Healthcare in Gaza is on the brink of collapse with estimates suggesting that approximately 22,000 injured and sick individuals urgently require medical treatment outside the enclave due to the severe degradation of health services caused by the ongoing Israeli operations. The restrictions imposed on the Rafah crossing further complicate the humanitarian crisis, highlighting the urgent need for international intervention and support for the Palestinian population in Gaza.
