Limited Reopening of Rafah Crossing: Gaza Patients Await Medical Transfers
After months of closure, the Rafah crossing allowed a limited number of Gaza residents to leave the territory on Monday. At the same time, some Palestinians previously displaced by the war returned to the Gaza Strip for the first time.
In this context, patients and their family members gathered in front of the Red Cross hospital in the Khan Younis area to prepare for transfer through Rafah. Local residents say the severe shortage of medicine and medical equipment in Gaza’s hospitals has forced them to await this route.
One Gaza resident stated that reopening the crossing is vital for patients, as many medicines are unavailable inside Gaza, and families have waited months for treatment. Another resident, Mohammed Mahdi, expressed hope that his father will be able to receive care after a long time through this transfer.
Alongside patients, several residents weary from the conflict have welcomed the reopening of Rafah crossing and hope that continued access will allow more humanitarian aid, including food, fuel, medicine, and medical supplies, to enter Gaza. Asmahan Abdelati, a Gaza resident, emphasized that keeping this route open is essential for people’s survival.
The reopening of Rafah crossing is part of the latest steps in the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel, brokered by the United States in October 2025. During the months of closure, thousands of patients and wounded individuals were deprived of critical medical treatment outside Gaza.
According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, at least twenty thousand patients, including children and cancer patients, are still waiting for transfer to receive adequate care.
