Gaza Herald – For the past forty days, young Palestinian fisherman Yusuf Al-Najjar has been lying in a hospital bed in the Gaza Strip after what began as a simple attempt to earn a living turned into a life-altering tragedy.
While working on a small rowing boat off the coast of Gaza, Yusuf was struck by an Israeli shell, leaving him critically injured and fighting for his life. Since then, he has remained in hospital undergoing a prolonged and painful treatment journey.
Severe and Complex Injuries
The strike caused extensive damage, shattering bones in his shoulder, chest, and back. Yusuf has undergone multiple surgeries and continues to move between operating rooms as doctors attempt to stabilize his condition and save what can be saved.
Despite medical interventions, his family says the required treatment is not available inside the Gaza Strip due to the severe collapse of the healthcare system. His survival and recovery now depend on urgent medical evacuation abroad.
Between treatment sessions and constant pain, Yusuf is enduring a daily struggle that goes beyond physical suffering, extending into deep uncertainty about his future, his family, and his ability to recover as he awaits approval for a medical transfer.
A Child on the Way
Deeply personal circumstances compound his suffering: Yusuf’s wife is in her ninth month of pregnancy with their first child.
As the family prepares to welcome a newborn, Yusuf remains confined to his hospital bed, unable to support his wife or witness the birth of his child. What was meant to be a moment of joy has instead become a period of anxiety and separation.
Urgent Appeal for Evacuation
Yusuf’s family is calling on relevant authorities and humanitarian organizations to urgently facilitate his transfer abroad for treatment, warning that further delays could permanently jeopardize his chances of recovery.
They stress that his condition requires specialized care unavailable within Gaza, and that continued restrictions on medical travel are placing his life at serious risk.
Medical Evacuations Under Strain
Gaza’s Ministry of Health warns that medical referrals have become one of the most critical humanitarian issues amid ongoing restrictions on patient movement through border crossings.
The ministry reiterated its call for urgent acceleration of medical evacuations to ensure patients receive timely treatment and preserve their right to life and healthcare.
According to Gaza official figures, 17,757 medical referrals were documented up to May 20, 2026, while only 3,226 individuals were able to travel for treatment, including 1,204 patients, with the remainder being companions.
The ministry stresses that thousands of patients remain trapped in Gaza, where time has become the most dangerous factor in their survival.
