Gaza Herald _For thousands of Palestinians in Gaza, receiving a medical referral no longer guarantees access to treatment. Instead, referral papers have become symbols of uncertainty, while critically ill patients and those wounded during the war remain stranded behind closed border crossings. As Gaza’s healthcare system struggles under the weight of war, shortages, and damaged infrastructure, many patients say time itself has become their greatest enemy.
Wheelchairs, crutches, and hospital beds filled the courtyard of Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis on Tuesday as wounded Palestinians and chronically ill patients gathered to demand urgent medical evacuation. Their protest was more than a call for permission to travel, it was an appeal to save lives that continue to deteriorate while access to specialized care remains out of reach.
The demonstrators called on the international community and humanitarian organizations to press for the reopening of border crossings and the evacuation of patients holding medical referrals for treatment abroad. They said Israel’s continued closure of the crossings has denied them access to lifesaving care, leaving every passing day to bring worsening health and, for some, the risk of death.
Waiting While His Condition Worsens
Among the protesters was Kawkab Jamil Ghabn, whose husband, Yassin Marouf, sustained severe leg injuries during the war, including gangrene. He requires bone reconstruction and specialized surgeries that are unavailable in Gaza.
Speaking to Palestine Newspaper, Ghabn said her husband received a medical referral for treatment abroad two months ago but remains unable to leave the Strip.
She said the family has received repeated assurances that his case has been “approved” or is “on the list,” yet no travel date has been provided.
“Every day we wait means more pain,” she said, describing how patients watch their conditions deteriorate while feeling powerless to change their circumstances.
A Year After His Injury, He Is Still Waiting
Elsewhere at the protest, Mirvat Al-Masri struggled to hold back tears as she spoke about her husband, Fadl Al-Masri, who was seriously wounded during the war more than a year ago.
She said he remains unable to walk because of severe leg injuries and now spends most of his time in hospitals. His health has worsened as a result of multiple fractures and complications affecting his kidneys after prolonged use of pain medication.
Although he also received a medical referral for treatment abroad, repeated attempts to secure his travel have failed.
“I don’t care which country accepts him,” she said. “I only want him to have the surgery that could help him stand on his feet again.”
With their children having left Gaza years ago, she now cares for her husband alone while navigating increasingly difficult humanitarian conditions.
Fearing Permanent Disability
Jihad Hamouda described how her husband’s injuries have transformed the family’s daily life.
She said he had a pre-existing medical condition before the war, but his latest injury caused a dislocated hip joint and severe joint deterioration. Doctors say he now needs a hip replacement that cannot be performed in Gaza.
He depends on crutches to move, while his pain continues to intensify.
She fears that further delays could permanently damage his other hip, leaving him confined to a wheelchair.
As her husband’s health declines, she and their four young daughters have assumed responsibility for supporting the household, including carrying water and managing daily tasks after he lost the ability to work.
Years of Illness, Still No Way Out
Not all of those waiting for evacuation were wounded during the war.
Asmahan Abu Sultan spoke about her son, Saeed Fasfous, who has lived with a neurogenic bladder since childhood. For nearly two decades, he has moved between hospitals across Gaza without receiving the treatment he requires.
His condition has steadily deteriorated. He now needs a bladder transplant and has also developed kidney failure, requiring a kidney transplant. His father has volunteered to donate one of his kidneys.
Although the family completed all paperwork for medical referral, Saeed remains unable to leave Gaza. Abu Sultan said officials have repeatedly contacted them asking whether he had traveled, despite the crossings remaining closed.
Meanwhile, his kidney function continues to decline, and he frequently requires blood transfusions and ongoing medical care.
A Child Still Waiting
Islam Mohammed Wadi described another painful reality faced by families with sick children.
Her eight-year-old daughter, Siham Mustafa Shaat, was left with what her mother describes as complete quadriplegia following injuries sustained during the war. She is no longer able to walk, move, or speak and requires specialized treatment and long-term rehabilitation unavailable in Gaza.
Siham received a medical referral nearly a year ago, yet her case remains pending, with no progress toward evacuation.
Her mother appealed for urgent intervention to allow her daughter to receive treatment, saying Siham is just one of hundreds of Palestinian children still waiting for the opportunity to access specialized medical care outside the Gaza Strip.
The stories shared outside Nasser Medical Complex reflect the broader collapse of Gaza’s healthcare system, where thousands of wounded and chronically ill Palestinians remain trapped between urgent medical need and sealed border crossings. With hospitals facing severe shortages of medicines, surgical supplies, and specialized equipment, patients whose conditions require advanced treatment outside the territory continue to wait as their health steadily declines. For many families, a medical referral has become not the beginning of recovery, but another chapter in an agonizing wait with no clear end in sight.
