Israel restricts Gaza patient transfers to Egypt for medical treatment

The Gaza Ministry of Health reports that Israeli authorities have significantly restricted the number of Palestinian patients and companions permitted to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment in Egypt. Although 136 individuals had initially received official authorization to travel, the number was first reduced to 72, and subsequently, 11 more were ordered to return during the departure process. Ultimately, only 61 people were allowed to depart.

In response to these restrictions, the Gaza Ministry of Health launched a “collective protest,” deciding to only dispatch patients in critical condition via ambulance and returning all others. The ministry characterized the policy as an unreasonable violation of patients' rights to medical care that endangers lives by preventing access to specialized facilities.

The Gaza Ministry of Health has called upon the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations humanitarian agencies, and other international bodies to pressure Israel to end these restrictions. Medical professionals have noted that mortality rates in the Strip have increased significantly compared to pre-October 2023 levels, exacerbated by the destruction of specialized medical infrastructure.