An estimated 300 Palestinians have lost their lives due to agonising delays in evacuation for medical treatment abroad since last October's US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The stark statistics, echoed by the World Health Organisation (WHO), reveal the dire consequences of a complex process that has left thousands trapped in Gaza with nowhere to turn.
Amina Abu al-Kas is just one tragic example. After being approved for treatment of an aggressive necrotising infection, she died on 29th May. Her son, Saber, shared with the BBC how two weeks after her passing, he received a call from the hospital informing him that his mother's paperwork was finally ready. In Gaza, doctors had explained to Amina that they lacked the necessary medicines and therapies to treat her condition, leaving her in unbearable pain.
The medical evacuation process is marred by complications. Following approval from Gaza's medical referral board, patients must undergo security checks by Israel, the host nation, and any transit countries. They also require acceptance by a foreign country for treatment, which can be challenging due to strict criteria set by recipient nations, such as only accepting children or those requiring shorter treatments. Visas for the host country are a prerequisite.
According to Gaza's health ministry, approximately 15,000 people remain waiting for medical treatment abroad, including individuals with war-related injuries and pre-existing conditions like cancer. Since the ceasefire commenced over eight months ago, the WHO has facilitated the departure of 1,977 people for medical treatment. Officials warn that without a significant acceleration of the process, evacuating all those in need could take years.
Maher Shamia, acting undersecretary at Gaza's health ministry, attributes the primary causes of these delays to the extensive security screening process and restrictions imposed by Israeli authorities on the number of departures. Palestinians are permitted to leave via the Rafah crossing with Egypt only three days a week, while medical evacuations through the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel occur just one day a week. In response, Cogat, the Israeli defence ministry body responsible for civil affairs in Gaza, stated that departures are contingent on an official request from a receiving country and completion of security screening by relevant authorities, adding that the 'vast majority' of requests submitted by countries and organisations had been approved since the start of 2023.