The first group of injured and sick Palestinians from the Gaza Strip will be evacuated to Egypt on February 1 via the Rafah border crossing, which has been effectively closed since May 2024, the Gaza Health Ministry announced.
"The first group of wounded and ill individuals will leave Gaza via the Rafah crossing on Saturday, February 1," the ministry stated in a Telegram post. However, no information has yet been provided regarding the exact number of evacuees receiving medical treatment in Egypt.
Rafah Crossing and Its Closure
The Rafah border crossing was a vital gateway for delivering humanitarian aid into Gaza and evacuating sick and wounded Palestinians to Egypt. However, it ceased operations in May 2024 when Israeli forces seized control of the Palestinian side of the crossing on May 7.
In response, Cairo announced on May 11 that it would not coordinate its actions regarding the border crossing with Israel. A few days later, Egyptian authorities placed full responsibility for the closure of Rafah and the disruption of humanitarian aid deliveries on Israel.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: badwanart0/Pixabay
Based on materials from TASS