Gaza patients face treatment delays due to Rafah crossing closure

Thousands of Families Face Uncertainty After Crossing Closure Halts Medical Evacuations

Gaza City, Gaza Strip - On February 28, Lama Abu Reida was preparing to leave for Jordan with her infant daughter Alma, who required urgent medical treatment abroad. The family had been informed that Alma’s surgery could be performed in Jordan, but their plans were disrupted when Israel closed the Rafah crossing “until further notice” on security grounds.

The closure coincided with a joint military operation against Iran and has left Abu Reida’s hopes for her daughter’s treatment shattered. Alma has been hospitalized at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis since November 2023, suffering from a lung cyst that requires oxygen to breathe. Without it, she becomes extremely exhausted.

The Rafah crossing, Gaza’s main gateway to the outside world, was previously closed during Israel’s conflict with Palestinians in the Strip, which began in October 2023. The crossing reopened briefly on February 1 as part of a trial phase, allowing some medical patients to travel abroad. However, thousands remained on waiting lists until the closure on February 28.

Doctors had advised Alma’s family that surgery was their only option for her condition, but it cannot be performed in Gaza due to limited medical resources. Abu Reida fears for her daughter’s life if treatment is delayed further.

The situation has been echoed by other families who have lost children due to lack of access to medical care abroad. Hadeel Zorob’s six-year-old son Sohaib died on March 1, 2025, and her eight-year-old daughter Lana passed away on February 18 last month. Both children were waiting for medical referrals to travel abroad for treatment.

The Israeli authorities have announced that the Rafah crossing will reopen on Wednesday for “limited movement of people” in both directions. However, the closure has left many families uncertain about their daughters’ futures.

Source: Al Jazeera