Gaza Herald – As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens, more than 20,000 patients are facing a growing risk of death after being denied access to life-saving treatment outside the besieged territory.
Human rights groups warn that the ongoing restrictions on medical travel, combined with the collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system, have left thousands of seriously ill patients with few options for survival.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights stated that the deprivation of medical care cannot be separated from the broader reality facing Gaza’s population. The organization argued that preventing patients from accessing specialized treatment, while hospitals are overwhelmed and essential medical supplies remain scarce, has created conditions that threaten the lives of civilians on a massive scale.
Rights advocates say these policies have had devastating consequences for some of the most vulnerable members of society, including children, cancer patients, and those suffering from chronic illnesses.
20,863 patients currently require urgent medical treatment
According to Zaher Al-Wahidi, Director of Information at the Palestinian Ministry of Health, 20,863 patients currently require urgent medical treatment outside Gaza, including 5,342 children.
Among them are 2,194 patients in extremely serious condition who need immediate evacuation, while 189 patients are described as being in critical, life-threatening condition. Despite the scale of the need, only a small percentage of patients have been able to leave Gaza for treatment since the reopening of the Rafah crossing earlier this year.
Health officials say the destruction of medical infrastructure, combined with restrictions on the entry of medicines, equipment, and fuel, has severely undermined the ability of hospitals to provide specialized care. Critical services such as cancer treatment, heart surgery, dialysis, intensive care, and rehabilitation have been heavily affected. Doctors warn that many patients are losing precious time as they wait for treatment that is unavailable inside the Strip.
The consequences have already been deadly. According to Palestinian health authorities, at least 1,628 patients have died while waiting for permission to travel for medical care. Medical professionals say that many others continue to face deteriorating health conditions as delays stretch for weeks and months, reducing their chances of recovery and survival.
Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, warned that Gaza’s healthcare system is experiencing an unprecedented crisis. He said hospitals are struggling with severe shortages of electricity, medicines, and medical supplies, while growing numbers of patients require urgent treatment.
With approximately half of essential medicines and most critical medical consumables no longer available, healthcare workers fear that the humanitarian and medical emergency will continue to worsen unless urgent action is taken to ensure access to treatment and the delivery of vital supplies.
