Rafah crossing closure leaves Gaza patients trapped without treatment

"The Rafah crossing, Gaza's main gateway to the outside world, was closed for long periods during Israel's genocidal war against Palestinians in the Strip that began in October 2023. On February 1, Israel announced a limited reopening as part of a trial phase following a ceasefire with the Palestinian group Hamas. This allowed some movement under the agreement's arrangements, particularly for medical cases."

"On February 28, Lama Abu Reida was just a few hours away from what she hoped would change the fate of her sick infant daughter, Alma. The family had finally been informed that the baby girl fewer than five months old and unable to breathe without an oxygen machine was eligible for medical evacuation. But just one day before the scheduled March 1 trip, Israel shut Gaza's crossings until further notice, citing security reasons."

"Alma, who suffers from a lung cyst, has been at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, for more than three months now, with her mother staying by her side day and night. She cannot do without oxygen at all, Abu Rheida says. Without it, she becomes extremely exhausted."

The closure of Gaza's Rafah crossing has prevented medical evacuations for thousands of patients awaiting treatment abroad. Lama Abu Reida's five-month-old daughter Alma, who suffers from a lung cyst and requires oxygen support, was scheduled for evacuation to Jordan for surgery on March 1. Israel shut the crossing one day before the scheduled departure, citing security reasons related to military operations. The crossing, Gaza's primary gateway to the outside world, had reopened on February 1 following a ceasefire agreement, allowing limited medical case transfers. However, the sudden closure has stranded thousands of patients on waiting lists, preventing access to critical medical care unavailable within Gaza.

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