Critical medical evacuations from Gaza have largely stalled, leaving thousands of patients, including many children, in life-threatening situations as the territory's hospitals remain decimated by two years of conflict. The World Health Organization (WHO) has managed to coordinate a single convoy since the ceasefire, transferring 41 patients to Jordan, but this is a fraction of the urgent need. Doctors report the immense frustration of diagnosing conditions like paralysis and brain tumors without the resources to treat them, with many children at risk of death or permanent disability.
The primary obstacle to these evacuations is the ongoing closure of key border crossings. Israel has maintained restrictions, citing Hamas's failure to meet ceasefire commitments, such as returning the bodies of hostages. This has prevented the reopening of the Rafah crossing into Egypt and limited transfers to well-equipped hospitals in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which previously provided crucial care.
The human cost of the delay is devastating. The Gaza health ministry reports that at least 740 people, including 140 children, have died while on waiting lists for medical transfers in the past year. International bodies, including the WHO and the EU, are urgently calling for Israel to allow more patients to be treated in the West Bank, emphasizing that reopening evacuation routes is essential to prevent further loss of life.
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