Gaza Herald – The Palestinian Border and Crossing Authority announced on Monday that Israel has completely closed the Rafah land crossing in southern Gaza, effectively halting the evacuation of patients and wounded individuals seeking treatment abroad.
In the last statement, the authority said that medical evacuation operations were suspended as a direct result of the closure, without providing further details regarding the duration or reasons behind the decision.
The Rafah crossing had previously been reopened in February 2026 after months of partial and restricted operation, but movement through it remained severely limited, particularly for medical cases, due to strict Israeli procedures and controls.
According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, only around 700 patients have been able to leave Gaza for treatment since the crossing was partially reopened, while more than 18,000 patients remain on waiting lists, facing serious risks due to the collapse of the healthcare system and lack of medical resources inside the Strip.
The closure is expected to worsen an already critical humanitarian situation, as many patients require urgent surgeries and specialized treatment unavailable in Gaza.
Before the current war, Rafah served as a key exit point for Palestinians traveling for medical care, education, or family reunification, operating under coordination between Palestinian and Egyptian authorities. However, the situation changed significantly after Israeli occupation forces took control of parts of the crossing during the ongoing genocide, introducing tighter restrictions and repeated closures.
Humanitarian organizations have repeatedly warned that continued restrictions on medical evacuations could lead to preventable deaths, as hospitals in Gaza remain overwhelmed and lack essential equipment, medicine, and specialist care.
The closure comes amid ongoing violations of ceasefire arrangements and continued reports of strikes and casualties across different areas of the Gaza Strip, further deepening the humanitarian crisis affecting civilians.
