Patients die in Gaza waiting for medical evacuations Israel keeps blocking

What Happened

More than 18,500 patients require medical evacuation from Gaza, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), but Israel has kept the Rafah crossing closed since 28 February 2025, in violation of the October 2023 ceasefire's explicit terms. Gaza's Ministry of Health reported that six to ten patients die each day waiting for exit permits, and roughly 1,200 have died since Israel seized the Rafah crossing in May 2024. Specific cases include fifteen-year-old Rafa al-Qudra, who lost her eyesight after nearly a year without Israeli approval for a medical referral, and five-year-old Fatima Saeed, who lies immobile in a tent due to a brain condition and lack of rehabilitation. The Israeli closure has suspended all medical evacuations, while the WHO temporarily halted its coordination after a contractor was killed. Before the war, 50–100 patients exited daily; the current pace could take over a year to clear the backlog, according to Save the Children.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The sustained blockade of medical evacuations deepens Gaza's humanitarian catastrophe, where 94% of hospitals are destroyed or damaged and essential medicine is blocked. Preventable deaths and lifelong disabilities result directly from the closure, which constitutes a violation of ceasefire agreements and international humanitarian law. The situation fuels international legal scrutiny and complicates mediation efforts, while underscoring the broader siege's impact on civilians.

Watch For

Monitor whether Israel reopens the Rafah crossing or grants limited medical exits; any intervention by mediators Egypt, Qatar, or the US to enforce ceasefire terms; new reports from WHO, UN OCHA, or aid agencies on mortality and the health crisis; and potential legal actions or statements from the ICC or ICJ regarding access to medical care.