Gaza Patients Stuck in Administrative Limbo After Flight to Iraq

A group of Palestinians evacuated to Iraq for medical treatment have been confined inside a Baghdad hospital due to confiscation of their travel documents by Iraqi authorities.

In May 2024, 46 Palestinians, including 21 patients and 25 family escorts, were flown to Baghdad on a military aircraft in coordination with the Iraqi and Egyptian governments. The group was accompanied by a symbolic presence from the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo.

The patients being evacuated suffered from various medical conditions, including cancer, blood disorders, cardiac issues, kidney disease, and injuries sustained during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. According to health authorities tracking the group, the clinical breakdown of the patients highlights the severity of their conditions.

One patient, Hanin Muhammad, who accompanied her sister Sabreen for kidney transplant treatment, has been confined to a private nursing home hospital inside Baghdad’s Medical City complex since her arrival. Her travel documents were confiscated by Iraqi authorities, leaving her unable to return to Gaza or access medical care in Egypt.

Muhammad’s family was displaced from their home in Rafah due to Israeli forces, and she is now separated from her six children who are living in makeshift tents between Rafah and Khan Younis. She has been unable to contact them due to internet connectivity issues.

According to the Health Ministry of Gaza, more than 20,000 patients and wounded people are currently waiting to travel abroad for medical treatment. The ministry reported that 1,200 children in Gaza suffer from spinal cord injuries and paralysis resulting from Israeli attacks, while some 4,000 children require urgent treatment abroad.

Only 154 children have been allowed to leave Gaza since the Rafah crossing partially reopened in February amid heavy Israeli restrictions. The crisis is equally dire for newborns, with over 4,000 premature deliveries reported in 2025 and at least 4,800 babies born with low birth weights – double the pre-war figure.

The Iraqi authorities have issued new passports to those lacking them, but these documents remain unstamped by the government and are functionally useless. The Palestinian Embassy in Baghdad has stated that they demand their passports back, but no response has been received.

Source: Al Jazeera