More than 2,000 Palestinian patients have died while awaiting treatment or medical evacuation in Gaza, as Israeli restrictions on crossings and medical supplies continue to cripple the territory’s healthcare system, a medical official said.

Muhammad Abu Afash, director of Medical Relief in Gaza, said 2,027 patients had died while awaiting access to treatment, adding that more than 21,000 patients urgently needed medical evacuation for care unavailable in the war-ravaged enclave.

Abu Afash said no patients had been allowed to leave through the Rafah crossing for more than five days, warning that prolonged delays were worsening patients’ conditions and increasing the risk of potentially fatal complications.

Patients with cancer, kidney failure, heart disease and other chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable, as many require specialised treatment that Gaza’s depleted healthcare system can no longer adequately provide.

He added that critically ill patients whose names had already been included on approved travel lists were still being prevented from leaving, despite the completion of coordination procedures.

On October 8, Gaza’s Health Ministry warned that the continued closure of the Rafah crossing was preventing patients and wounded Palestinians from departing during designated weekly medical transfer days.

The restrictions have left thousands of Palestinians facing a desperate choice between waiting for treatment that may not be available inside Gaza and remaining trapped without access to potentially life-saving care abroad.

Abu Afash also warned that restrictions on the entry of medicines and medical supplies, combined with the destruction and disruption of diagnostic and treatment services, were further undermining Gaza’s healthcare system.

Hospitals are struggling with shortages of essential medicines, medical equipment and specialist services, while laboratories, radiology departments and operating rooms face severe limitations.

The collapse of medical services has sharply reduced the treatment available to patients inside the territory, while restrictions on medical evacuations prevent many of those requiring specialised care from seeking treatment elsewhere.

According to Abu Afash, more than 574 healthcare centres previously operated across Gaza, from Rafah in the south to Beit Hanoun in the north. No more than 227 remain operational, and those facilities are functioning with limited capabilities.

The remaining hospitals and health centres are struggling to cope with mounting medical needs amid shortages of supplies and the continuing impact of Israel’s military assault on the territory.

The healthcare crisis is also threatening pregnant women, newborns and children, whose access to routine medical monitoring, vaccinations and nutritional support has been severely disrupted, Abu Afash said.

Health facilities are struggling to provide adequate nutrition services, dietary supplements and essential childhood vaccinations, raising concerns about the long-term consequences for a generation growing up amid war and deprivation.

Abu Afash warned that malnutrition, weakened immunity and inadequate medical care could have lasting effects on children’s health and development.

The disruption of maternal healthcare and preventive services has also left vulnerable families without the regular medical support needed to identify complications early and prevent avoidable illness.

With thousands of patients awaiting evacuation and hospitals operating under severe constraints, the continuing restrictions on medical access are compounding the suffering of Palestinians already enduring the devastating consequences of Israel’s war on Gaza.

Humanitarian and medical organisations have repeatedly called for sustained access to medical supplies, the restoration of healthcare services and the safe passage of patients requiring urgent treatment outside the territory. (ILKHA)