Home / Health / Gaza Crossing Reopens Amidst Dire Evacuation Crisis
Gaza Crossing Reopens Amidst Dire Evacuation Crisis
3 Feb
Summary
- Gaza crossing reopened after a fragile ceasefire was struck.
- Medical evacuations were significantly delayed, with few patients crossing.
- Over 18,500 patients, including 3,000 children, await evacuation from Gaza.
The Rafah crossing saw its reopening on Monday, a development supporting a fragile ceasefire. This step forward, however, was met with considerable delays, as only a small number of returnees and medical evacuees passed through each way.
On February 2nd, the World Health Organization (WHO) facilitated the medical evacuation of five patients and their seven companions to Egypt. This marked the first medical evacuation via this route since a limited number of transfers occurred during an early 2025 ceasefire.
Currently, over 18,500 patients are awaiting evacuation due to the two-year conflict. These individuals suffer from trauma injuries sustained during the war, as well as chronic illnesses like cancer and diabetes. A UNICEF spokesperson noted that more than 3,000 of these patients are children.
Gaza's health authorities are tasked with prioritizing those most in need of evacuation. WHO has reported that patients have tragically died while waiting for their chance to be evacuated, a dire situation given that medical assistance is available just miles away.
