2,027 Gaza patients die awaiting treatment as Israel restricts medical evacuations
The Palestine Chronicle reports on 15 October 2026:
Key Takeaways
- Medical Relief director Muhammad Abu Afash reported that 2,027 patients died while awaiting treatment or medical evacuation.
- More than 21,000 patients need treatment outside Gaza; Abu Afash said no patient had departed through Rafah for over five days.
- No more than 227 of Gaza’s previously operating 574-plus healthcare centers remain functional, with limited resources.
Patients Die Waiting for Treatment
A total of 2,027 patients in Gaza have died while waiting for treatment or medical evacuation, Medical Relief director Muhammad Abu Afash said, warning that crossing closures and restrictions on travel continue to prevent access to essential care. More than 21,000 patients require evacuation for treatments unavailable in Gaza, according to Abu Afash.
He said no patient had left through the Rafah crossing for more than five days. Delayed evacuation, he warned, causes conditions to deteriorate and increases the risk of serious complications, particularly for patients with cancer, kidney failure, heart disease and other chronic illnesses.
Israeli restrictions have also prevented critically ill patients on approved travel lists from leaving, despite the completion of coordination procedures. Gaza’s Health Ministry warned on October 8 that the crossing’s continued closure was blocking the departure of patients and wounded Palestinians during the designated weekly transfer days.