A tentative medical evacuation process commenced from southern Gaza on Monday, marking a fragile humanitarian breakthrough amid persistent regional instability. The first contingent of five critically ill patients, accompanied by ten family members, departed from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society’s field headquarters in Khan Younis toward the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
This limited movement occurred as the crucial border passage reopened on a trial basis for the first time since Israeli forces assumed control of the Palestinian side in May 2024. The Rafah crossing has historically served as Gaza’s primary gateway for both humanitarian aid and civilian movement.
The evacuation approval process revealed significant operational challenges. According to Dr. Atef al-Hout, director of Nasser Medical Complex, Israeli authorities approved merely five patients from a list of 27 urgently requiring overseas medical treatment. Dr. al-Hout characterized the situation as being mired in ‘ambiguity and lack of clarity’ regarding travel permissions.
Simultaneously, violence continued elsewhere in Gaza. Palestinian medical sources reported three fatalities from separate Israeli military actions, including a three-year-old child killed by naval shelling south of Khan Younis and a civilian casualty in northern Gaza from an Israeli drone strike on a displacement shelter.
Gaza health authorities provided sobering statistics, indicating that despite the current ceasefire effective since October 2025, at least 526 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire, contributing to a devastating total death toll of 71,800 since the conflict’s inception in October 2023.
The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the specific incidents reported Monday, highlighting the ongoing communication challenges in the region.