Sick, injured children begin crossing from Gaza to Egypt for treatment
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A Palestinian girl injured in Israeli bombardment waits in an ambulance at the Rafah border crossing into Egypt, February 1, 2025. (AP Photo)
Rafah crossing: A group of 50 sick and injured Palestinian children crossed from Gaza to Egypt on Saturday for urgent medical treatment, marking the first opening of the Rafah crossing in nearly nine months. This breakthrough follows a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas earlier this month, with Israel agreeing to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last female hostages in Gaza.
Egyptian television footage showed Palestinian Red Cross ambulances arriving at the crossing, where several children were transferred onto stretchers and taken to hospitals in Egypt's nearby el-Arish city. Among them was a young girl who had undergone a foot amputation. Gaza’s Health Ministry confirmed that around 60 family members were accompanying the children.
This marked the beginning of what is expected to be regular evacuations for medical treatment, as Gaza’s healthcare sector has been severely damaged by Israel’s ongoing military operations in retaliation for Hamas’ October 7 attack. With more than 110,000 Palestinians wounded, Gaza’s remaining hospitals are struggling to provide necessary treatments. Mohammed Zaqout, director of hospitals at Gaza’s Health Ministry, reported over 6,000 patients waiting for evacuation, with many others in urgent need of specialized care. Zaqout expressed hope that more evacuations will follow.
The Rafah crossing is Gaza's only route into Egypt and does not pass through Israel. It had been closed by Israeli forces in May after they seized control of it during an offensive in southern Gaza. In response, Egypt closed its side of the crossing in protest. Prior to the conflict, the crossing had been a vital lifeline for Palestinians seeking medical treatment unavailable in Gaza, such as chemotherapy.
Diplomatic efforts were required to reopen the crossing, navigating security disputes between Israeli, Egyptian, and Palestinian officials. While Israel remains in control of the crossing, Palestinians from Gaza who previously worked as border officers under the Palestinian Authority (PA) will staff it, but without official PA insignia. European Union monitors will also oversee operations, as they did before 2007.
The reopening of Rafah is part of a larger diplomatic agreement, with negotiations for the next phase—aiming for a permanent ceasefire, full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, and the release of any remaining hostages—set to begin on Monday. However, Israel has opposed the idea of the PA managing postwar Gaza.
With AP inputs