Gaza Herald – Gaza’s collapsing health system faced another stark blow on Monday after medical authorities confirmed that only five critically ill patients were permitted to leave the besieged enclave for treatment abroad, despite hundreds urgently requiring evacuation.
Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza City, said there were 450 patients in critical condition in immediate need of care unavailable inside Gaza. He stated that authorities were informed that only five patients, accompanied by two escorts each, were allowed to cross through Rafah today, calling the decision “grossly insufficient” and medically indefensible.
Abu Salmiya stressed the absence of transparent, humane mechanisms governing medical evacuations, warning that arbitrary restrictions are turning life-saving treatment into a matter of chance rather than right. He reiterated demands for a clear, scalable system to allow patients and the wounded to leave Gaza without delay.
Health officials reported that at least 1,268 Palestinians have died while waiting for medical transfer since Israel closed the Rafah crossing in 2024, cautioning that the toll is expected to rise sharply unless immediate and unrestricted medical exits are allowed.
