Israel imposes strict blockade on Gaza, blocking thousands access to medical aid

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At least two Palestinians have been killed in separate incidents across the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, according to reports from Palestinian news agency Wafa. The victims were identified as Muhand Jamal al-Najjar, 20, who was killed near the Bani Suheila roundabout east of Khan Younis city, and an unidentified child who was targeted by an Israeli drone in the northern Strip.

The child’s death occurred while they were on their way to inspect damaged homes in the area. The incident is part of a broader pattern of violence between Israel and Palestinian militants in Gaza.

According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, more than 600 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,600 wounded since a ceasefire took effect in mid-October. The latest deaths bring the total number of fatalities to at least two.

The Israeli military has maintained its blockade on Palestinians seeking medical care through the Rafah crossing to Egypt. Since the crossing reopened two and a half weeks ago, only 260 patients have been allowed to leave Gaza, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). This number falls short of an earlier promise from an Egyptian border official that at least 50 Palestinians would cross in each direction starting from the first day.

Human rights and medical groups, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have called for increased access to critical care outside Gaza. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged an “immediate reopening of the medical referral route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem”, as well as more countries to accept patients for specialized care not available in Gaza.

The Israeli military’s blockade on Palestinians seeking medical evacuation through the Rafah crossing remains in place. The rate of return to Gaza through the checkpoint has been slow, with 269 people having passed into Gaza as of February 11, according to OCHA.

Source: Al Jazeera