Gaza’s healthcare collapse: the denial of medical evacuations from Gaza [EN/AR/HE]

In June of last year, we submitted a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court, calling for a clear and transparent process for medical evacuations from Gaza. However, it wasn't until January 2025, that Israel introduced such a mechanism, which still failed to provide a genuine solution or facilitate evacuations at the pace necessary to save lives.

With Israel renewing its assault on Gaza and closing the Rafah crossing once again, the last remaining lifeline for the sick and critically wounded has been severed. Our latest position paper, co-authored with international relief organizations, titled “The Collapse of Gaza’s Healthcare System and the Prevention of Medical Evacuations,” highlights the devastating consequences of Israel’s systematic obstruction of medical evacuations and the collapse of healthcare services in Gaza.

More than 45,000 people have been killed, and over 100,000 have been injured since the war began. Despite the urgent need for medical care, Israel has consistently prevented the evacuation of patients from Gaza. From the destruction of the Rafah crossing in May 2024 until the ceasefire on January 19, only 450 patients were evacuated. Although the ceasefire enabled the evacuation of additional patients, the number was significantly lower than what had been promised in the agreement.

Now, with the renewal of the war and the reclosure of Rafah crossing, Israel is blocking tens of thousands of the sick and severely injured patients from leaving Gaza, while also preventing those who have already fled from returning to what remains of their homes.

In June of last year, we submitted a petition to the Israeli Supreme Court, calling for a clear and transparent process for medical evacuations from Gaza. However, it wasn’t until January 2025—following eight months of repeated delays—that Israel introduced such a mechanism, which still failed to provide a genuine solution or facilitate evacuations at the pace necessary to save lives.

Israel has both a legal and moral duty to guarantee access to medical care as part of its obligations as an occupying power and in accordance with international humanitarian law. Instead, it continues to obstruct the evacuation of patients and target Gaza’s healthcare system and its workers.

The international community must demand the urgent opening of humanitarian corridors for medical evacuations from Gaza to the West Bank and East Jerusalem—and call for an end to the war.