In a marked increase in people flow, hundreds of Palestinians from Gaza have poured through the recently reopened Rafah crossing into Egypt in recent weeks, with the majority being patients and those seeking medical treatment, according to border officials.
Following the reopening of the Rafah border crossing last month, over 10,000 Palestinians, including patients with life-threatening injuries and illnesses, have been making the journey back to Gaza to seek medical attention. The figures mark a significant surge in human traffic, surpassing the thousands who had fled Gaza in search of medical aid before the pandemic.
The opening of the border comes as Gaza continues to reel from the impacts of the pandemic, with lockdowns and humanitarian crises exacerbating an already desperate situation. Palestinians have been caught in the grip of a dual health crisis – fighting COVID-19 while already dealing with significant healthcare challenges as a result of years of international blockade and restricted access to quality medical care.
As the flood of patients makes their way across the border, humanitarian organizations on the ground report scenes of intense humanitarian need, with many passengers struggling to get adequate medical treatment, food, and shelter before crossing into Gaza.
“We have been overwhelmed with patients, all desperate for life-saving medical attention,” said Rafat Al Nahas, General Director of Rafah Border Crossings. “It’s clear that the prolonged humanitarian crisis has left many of these individuals critically in need, and we urge international organizations and donors to ramp up support.”
For many families, the ordeal begins long before crossing the border, with anxious patients and injured individuals waiting often for months in hospitals and rehabilitation centers in Egypt before being released and making their way back to Gaza.
Yaser Al Sha’rawy, a Palestinian man from Rafah, fled to Egypt nine months ago, desperate for urgent treatment for a chronic illness that left him weak and bedridden. “When I finally arrived in Egypt, I was hooked up to life-saving machines at a hospital – the doctors warned me that I was just minutes from death if I didn’t get treatment soon,” he recounts.
After five months of receiving medical care in Egypt, Sha’rawy received the diagnosis and treatment necessary to stabilize his condition. Today, he remains under close monitoring in a specialized care unit and awaits clearance for release back into Gaza.
Fears of yet another humanitarian collapse loom for the besieged Strip, which already faces one of the worst health crises on record. Israel and Egypt – responsible for jointly governing the Strip’s borders since the 2013 coup that toppled then-President Mohamed Morsi – agree on the severity of the problem.
“We agree that the closure of the Gaza-Egypt border has had dire humanitarian consequences. Our priority must be to increase support for essential healthcare services,” said a source at the Gaza office of the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNRWA), the primary agency responsible for responding to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Regional efforts to contain the pandemic will also be pivotal in addressing Gaza’s healthcare demands, as restrictions and lockdowns persist. Healthcare officials warn of further strain on Gaza’s tattered healthcare system as the latest COVID-19 surge takes its toll.
To date, humanitarians warn of a significant escalation in crisis if international commitments and aid levels are not enhanced, with catastrophic implications for life and limb amidst an already humanitarian-disaster declared territory.
International support and recognition are crucial at this critical time to ensure urgent aid reaches vulnerable Gazans while preventing further decline of the dire situation. While efforts to resuscitate trade and commerce initiatives may be the answer to more comprehensive solutions down the line, it is medical emergency response for these patients who remain the single most pressing requirement – and today – the hope.