The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that over 10,000 people in Gaza urgently need medical treatment outside the region. These include people injured in bombings and those suffering from serious illnesses like cancer, kidney failure, and heart problems. However, most of them cannot leave Gaza due to strict restrictions by Israeli authorities.
Health workers say the situation is getting worse. Hani Asalim, a coordinator with Doctors Without Borders (MSF), told Al Jazeera that even when some patients are approved to leave, their caretakers are often stopped. There is no clear reason given, and these sudden refusals are making the crisis harder to manage.
Before U.S. President Donald Trump’s re-election, many countries were ready to accept patients from Gaza. But since the war worsened, most of them have pulled back their offers. Asalim said this is because of political pressure and fear of getting involved in the ongoing conflict. This has left Gaza’s patients with nowhere to go.
WHO also reported that Israel is blocking aid trucks carrying medical supplies. Gaza’s hospitals are already overwhelmed. Many have been damaged in airstrikes, and staff are working with very limited resources. WHO and MSF both say that without urgent international help, many more lives could be lost.
The WHO has called for the safe evacuation of critical patients and the immediate delivery of medical supplies. Human rights groups are also urging world leaders to press Israel to allow humanitarian aid. For now, Gaza’s health system is not just in crisis—it is collapsing.