Th Thousands of Sick Palestinians Line Up at Gaza's Rafah Crossing as Israel Opens It in Limited Pilot Phase.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is set to reopen on Monday in a limited pilot phase, sparking concerns for the thousands of sick and wounded Palestinians waiting for urgent medical care abroad. The Israeli military agency controlling aid to Gaza, COGAT, announced that residents will be allowed to pass through the crossing in both directions on foot only, with operations coordinated with Egypt and the European Union.
The reopening of the crossing is a crucial step towards alleviating the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, which has been ravaged by Israel's ongoing genocidal war. However, many Palestinians are wary about returning to their homes due to concerns over safety and restrictions on movement.
According to Egyptian officials, at least 50 Palestinian patients will be processed to cross into Egypt for treatment, with 200 people transiting daily, mostly for medical evacuation. The lists of Palestinians set to pass through the crossing have been submitted by Egypt and approved by Israel. However, there are no clear details on the entry of aid into war-destroyed Gaza.
The UN estimates that Gaza needs at least 600 trucks of humanitarian supplies every day, but it remains unclear whether these vital resources will be allowed to enter the territory. The Israeli government has already announced plans to terminate the operations of Doctors Without Borders after the organization failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff.
Critics warn that Israel's actions are part of a systematic effort to weaponize aid and instrumentalise international organisations. "Israel has systematically targeted the Palestinian healthcare system, killing more than 1,700 Palestinian healthcare workers," said Dr James Smith, an emergency doctor based in London.
As Palestinians wait anxiously for their turn to leave Gaza, many are expressing frustration with the slow pace of relief efforts. Abed El Halim Abo Askar, a 65-year-old cancer patient who has been waiting for two years, expressed his desperation: "Every day they say they would open the crossing, be patient. But nothing has happened since the start of the war... My father needs to do the operation, and we don’t know what to do."
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is set to reopen on Monday in a limited pilot phase, sparking concerns for the thousands of sick and wounded Palestinians waiting for urgent medical care abroad. The Israeli military agency controlling aid to Gaza, COGAT, announced that residents will be allowed to pass through the crossing in both directions on foot only, with operations coordinated with Egypt and the European Union.
The reopening of the crossing is a crucial step towards alleviating the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, which has been ravaged by Israel's ongoing genocidal war. However, many Palestinians are wary about returning to their homes due to concerns over safety and restrictions on movement.
According to Egyptian officials, at least 50 Palestinian patients will be processed to cross into Egypt for treatment, with 200 people transiting daily, mostly for medical evacuation. The lists of Palestinians set to pass through the crossing have been submitted by Egypt and approved by Israel. However, there are no clear details on the entry of aid into war-destroyed Gaza.
The UN estimates that Gaza needs at least 600 trucks of humanitarian supplies every day, but it remains unclear whether these vital resources will be allowed to enter the territory. The Israeli government has already announced plans to terminate the operations of Doctors Without Borders after the organization failed to provide a list of its Palestinian staff.
Critics warn that Israel's actions are part of a systematic effort to weaponize aid and instrumentalise international organisations. "Israel has systematically targeted the Palestinian healthcare system, killing more than 1,700 Palestinian healthcare workers," said Dr James Smith, an emergency doctor based in London.
As Palestinians wait anxiously for their turn to leave Gaza, many are expressing frustration with the slow pace of relief efforts. Abed El Halim Abo Askar, a 65-year-old cancer patient who has been waiting for two years, expressed his desperation: "Every day they say they would open the crossing, be patient. But nothing has happened since the start of the war... My father needs to do the operation, and we don’t know what to do."
this is soooo heartbreaking! 
thousands of ppl stuck in gaza waiting 4 medical care & aid 
cant even get thru the crossing cuz of safety concerns 
& restrictions on movement 
. its like israel doesnt care bout human life at all 
. the UN says they need 600 trucks of humanitarian supplies but idk if these will even make it in 
. can u imagine being stuck in gaza 4 TWO YEARS 
? poor ppl r dying 4 lack of medical care 
. gotta do something ASAP 
#JusticeForGaza #EndTheBlockade #MedicalAidNow
.
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my friends r always talkin bout this genocidal war in gaza & it's like so sad 
my heart goes out to Abed El Halim Abo Askar & his fam 
cancer treatment is so expensive & he's been waitin 2 yrs already 
hopefully somethin changes soon 
. Meanwhile, Dr Smith is talking about Israel weaponizing aid... it's like they're playing with people's lives as if they were just pawns on a chessboard 
. I mean, what's the real cost here? Is it just numbers and statistics, or are we losing something much more fundamental - our humanity? 
his dad needs surgery ASAP but they dont no wut 2 do 
i feel so bad 4 them 
.
and people are still struggling with cancer, waiting for 2 yrs for help what's the hold up? 
The fact that there are thousands of sick Palestinians lining up at the Rafah crossing fills my heart with hope 
that things might start looking up soon. Fingers crossed for a speedy resolution so everyone can get the medical care they need! 
It's heartbreaking that they're having to go through all this because of a situation that's spiraling outta control 
I mean, I know there's a limited pilot phase and all that, but come on! These poor folks have been waiting for years already 
it's all about control and not letting them return home, meanwhile, the intl community just stands by 
i feel for ppl stuck in this nightmare situation 
i mean, who knew being sick could be so hard? like, 50 ppl gettin' treated in egypt every day isnt gonna cut it for all the ones waitin in gaza. its like tryna put out fires with a sponge 
gotta bring more water... aid... whatever u call it 
seems like they're killin more docs than a bad game of halo 
. The fact that Palestinians are scared to go back home shows how messed up things are there. We need to keep pushing for an end to this war and get some real help to Gaza ASAP 
what's taking them so long to let ppl out?? i feel for abed el halim tho he's been waiting 2 yrs its like they're running out of time 