Occupation prevents evacuation of 70 children from Gaza to Jordan

The Gaza Ministry of Health announced that occupation authorities allowed only 5 patients accompanied by 5 escorts to be evacuated to Jordan via the Kerem Shalom crossing, out of 75 children scheduled for evacuation for treatment. The ministry warned of worsening suffering for thousands of patients and wounded as crossings are repeatedly closed, and called for urgent international intervention.

The Gaza Ministry of Health announced in a statement on Monday that occupation authorities allowed only 5 patients accompanied by 5 escorts to be evacuated to Jordan via the Kerem Shalom crossing, out of 75 children scheduled for evacuation to receive treatment. The ministry explained that this measure reflects the limited number of patients allowed to travel despite their urgent need for specialized medical care, and comes amid continued obstruction of medical evacuations for patients in the sector. The statement noted that crossings have been repeatedly closed to patient travel for several days, during which no patient left, worsening the suffering of thousands of patients and wounded awaiting a chance for treatment outside the sector. The ministry warned that repeated closures and reducing the number of those allowed to travel prolongs waiting times and exposes patients' lives, especially children with complex health conditions, to increased risks. It indicated that about 21,000 patients and wounded are awaiting medical evacuation, calling on international bodies and health and humanitarian institutions to urgently intervene to ensure the regularity of evacuation operations and the opening of crossings.