After nearly nine months of closure, the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened, allowing 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children to receive crucial medical care in Egypt. This represents a significant step forward in the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.
A group of 50 sick and wounded Palestinian children began entering Egypt for treatment through the Rafah crossing on Saturday, marking the first opening of the border since Israel captured it nearly nine months ago. Thousands of other Palestinians require similar evacuations, health officials have stated. The reopening of the Rafah crossing, Gaza ’s only border that doesn’t lead into Israel , signifies a substantial breakthrough for the ceasefire agreement.
Israel consented to reopen the crossing following Hamas’s release of the last living female hostages held in Gaza. Egypt’s Al-Qahera television broadcasted footage of several children being transported on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side. They were swiftly taken to hospitals in el-Arish and other locations within Egypt. The footage depicted a young girl who had undergone an amputation of her foot. By Saturday evening, Zaher al-Wahidi, an official with Gaza’s Health Ministry, confirmed that 37 children had crossed into Egypt, accompanied by around 60 family members. The children represent the initial wave of what are intended to be regular evacuations of Palestinians through the crossing for medical treatment abroad. Over the past 15 months, Israel’s campaign against Hamas, launched in response to the militants’ attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, has severely crippled Gaza’s healthcare system. Health officials estimate that more than 110,000 Palestinians have sustained injuries due to Israel’s bombardment and ground offensives, leaving most hospitals inoperable. Existing facilities are unable to perform many critical treatments or specialized surgeries for wounds or diseases. Mohammed Zaqout, the director of hospitals with Gaza’s Health Ministry, stated that over 6,000 patients are prepared for evacuation abroad, and over 12,000 require urgent medical attention. He expressed concerns that the initial small number of evacuations would not suffice, hoping for an increase in the future.The Rafah crossing held immense significance even before the Gaza war commenced. For Palestinians, it served as a vital lifeline, allowing them to seek life-saving treatments unavailable within Gaza. This was particularly crucial given the 15-year Israeli-Egyptian blockade aimed at curbing Hamas’s influence, which severely strained Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure and deepened its economic crisis. The crossing’s reopening required diplomatic maneuvering and the resolution of security disputes among Israeli, Egyptian, and Palestinian officials. While COVID-19-related restrictions played a role in its temporary closure, the underlying issue stemmed from the ongoing conflict. The Rafah crossing had been closed for several months, prompting protests from Palestinian healthcare workers and human rights groups who highlighted the dire need for medical evacuations. Even before the Gaza war, the crossing had witnessed periods of closure and limited operation due to security concerns. Hamas, which has controlled Gaza since 2007, had faced accusations from Israel of using the crossing for smuggling weapons and other contraband. Israel has consistently refused to allow Hamas to resume management of the crossing, citing security risks. Negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, which include a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of any remaining hostages, are scheduled to commence on Monday. Israel has expressed reluctance towards the Palestinian Authority assuming control of postwar Gaza
PALESTINE GAZA EGYPT MEDICAL EVACUATION RAFAH CROSSING HAMAS ISRAEL CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT HEALTHCARE
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