Gaza’s health ministry warned on 15 February that the Rafah crossing into Egypt remains functionally constrained, leaving more than 20,000 patients and wounded people waiting for lifesaving treatment outside the Strip. The ministry said the crossing, which resumed limited two‑way movement on 2 February after being largely closed since May 2024, is operating at a fraction of needed capacity and is imposing “unjustified” restrictions that amount to additional suffering for the sick and injured.
The waiting list includes large numbers of cancer patients, those with severe cardiac disease, people in renal failure and dozens of critically wounded patients who require complex surgical procedures that Gaza’s hospitals—hollowed out by prolonged blockade and repeated attacks—can no longer provide. Local authorities say the current operating procedures are inefficient and arbitrary, and they urged the international community to press for a permanent, full reopening of Rafah to allow unhindered medical evacuations.
Rafah is Gaza’s principal crossing with Egypt and was until 2024 the main conduit for both civilian travel and international humanitarian assistance. Its near‑closure after Israeli forces took control of the Palestinian side in May 2024 choked off medical referrals and aid flows, isolating a population already dependent on external care for complex treatments. International agencies and charities have repeatedly flagged the linkage between border restrictions and rising preventable morbidity and mortality inside Gaza.
Egypt, Israel and international actors face competing pressures. Cairo is sensitive to security and political calculations about controlling its border, while Israel cites security concerns for limiting passages. Donor governments and UN agencies now confront a stark choice between amplified diplomatic pressure—or legal and reputational risk if insufficient access results in mass preventable deaths.
If Rafah’s operations remain constrained, the immediate humanitarian consequence will be more avoidable fatalities and deteriorating chronic conditions, and the medium‑term consequence will be a renewed crisis of displaced patients and overburdened regional hospitals. The situation also creates a diplomatic pressure point that could drive renewed international efforts to broker temporary corridors, secure guarantees from enforcing parties, or expand medical evacuation channels through third countries. The health ministry’s plea underscores the intersection of humanitarian need and geopolitics: patient triage has become a test of international will to protect civilian life amid a protracted conflict.