Israel Authorizes Medical Departures Through Kerem Shalom as Gaza Patients Face Delays

In Gaza, Israel has authorized medical departures through Kerem Shalom while the Rafah crossing into Egypt was closed the month before, and the Times of Israël says that since June 2024 Israel has had the power to decide who can leave.

“- Published When Gaza's medical board approved Amina Abu al-Kas to leave the Strip for treatment abroad, her son Saber said it felt like the beginning of a new life”

BBC

The Times of Israël reports that in the nine first months, nearly 1 500 Gazaouis were authorized to leave Gaza, averaging 150 per month, and that the number rose to about 2 500 between mid-March and July, averaging 500 to 600 per month, according to COGAT.

BBC

The Times of Israël adds that the World Health Organization estimated that the real number of patients authorized to leave Gaza in the same period was 399, or less than 3% of the 14 800 patients who should leave urgently for care, and it quotes Gisha spokesperson Shai Grunberg saying, « Communiquer là-dessus fait partie de la tactique israélienne pour dissimuler la réalité des choses et faire croire que le pays respecte ses obligations. »

The Times of Israël also quotes Physicians for Human Rights official Asil Abu Rass saying, « De ce qu’il m’est donné de voir, il n’y a pas d’assouplissement. »

The BBC describes how Gaza patients face agonising delays for evacuation after a medical board approved Amina Abu al-Kas to leave for treatment abroad, but her son Saber said the family waited for security clearances and acceptance by a foreign country.

Saber told the BBC, « We waited a long time, but no response came. My mother died [on 29 May], and two weeks after her death, I got a call from the hospital informing me that her paperwork was ready. »

وكالة سبأ

The BBC says Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says Amina was one of 300 Palestinians who have died waiting for medical evacuations since the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began last October, and it adds that the WHO figures are also used for patient transfers via Gaza's Israeli-controlled border crossings with Israel and Egypt.

The BBC reports that after Gaza's medical referral board approves patients, they must pass security checks by Israel, the host nation and any transit countries, and it quotes WHO Representative for the occupied Palestinian territory Dr Reinhilde Van de Weerdt saying, « Many recipient countries are quite specific in the type of patients they can support - for example, some only want children; others only want patients for shorter treatments ». »

The BBC says thousands of others are still waiting for treatment abroad, with the health ministry currently saying 15,000 are waiting, including some for war-related injuries and others for conditions such as cancer.

“Bombings, gunfire, and overflights by Israeli drones in several areas of the Gaza Strip”

وكالة سبأ

It adds that the list of evacuees is constantly fluctuating as patients' conditions and decisions change, and it warns that not all deaths may be recorded, while the WHO says 1,977 people have left Gaza for medical treatment since the ceasefire began over eight months ago.

The BBC also shows the human stakes of the delays through people gathered to protest against evacuation processing at al-Shifa hospital, including Nidal al-Arir pleading for his son who needs a corneal transplant and Raeda Nuaizi crying, « What is my treatment [in Gaza]? Painkillers! »

In the Times of Israël, the process is described as requiring Israeli security authorization for each departure, with Dorit Nitzan saying, « Chaque semaine, on évacue des dizaines sinon des centaines de personnes : tout dépend de la capacité des pays d’accueil. »