Gaza Herald – Jilal Al-Qattash, a child from Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, tragically passed away on Thursday morning after delays prevented him from traveling abroad for urgently needed medical care, amid severe shortages of essential medicines and ongoing Israeli restrictions on medical evacuations.
Jilal suffered from a rare genetic condition known as Epidermolysis Bullosa, which causes extreme skin fragility and painful blistering even with minimal contact, requiring specialized treatment and medications that are unavailable locally.
According to the World Health Organization, around 19,000 patients in Gaza urgently require medical evacuation, including approximately 4,000 children with severe illnesses that cannot be treated within the territory.
Ongoing Israeli restrictions have reduced medical referrals by up to 80% compared to previous periods, making access to treatment a life-or-death matter for many patients.
The Palestinian Ministry of Health also reports that more than 20,000 patients already hold medical referrals for treatment outside Gaza, yet they remain stranded, waiting for permission to leave, while deaths continue due to delays and the lack of adequate healthcare.
