A World Health Organization official said today, Tuesday, that the closure of the Rafah crossing prevented the evacuation of at least two thousand patients from the Gaza Strip, and called for the reopening of the crossing and other roads.

The World Health Organization's representative in the West Bank and Gaza, Rick Pepperkorn, said that before the closure, "about 50 patients in critical condition were leaving Gaza every day... This means that since May 7, at least 2,000 people have not been able to leave Gaza to receive care." "Medical".

The Rafah crossing was the main corridor for evacuation operations as well as the entry of humanitarian aid during the first months of the Israeli war, which has been ongoing since October 7, 2023. The crossing was closed when Israel penetrated into Rafah and took control of the Palestinian side of it.

Egyptian security sources said that the United States, Egypt and Qatar held talks a few days ago with the aim of reopening the crossing and increasing the flow of humanitarian aid. But the Rafah crossing, from which Egypt wants Israeli forces to withdraw and the Palestinian presence to be restored, is still closed.

Insecurity and logistical challenges hamper movement from the nearby Kerem Shalom crossing, which is controlled by Israel. Peppercorn described this crossing as unsafe.

Pepperkorn said, "At least 10,000 people need to be evacuated from Gaza, explaining that this number is less than the number who need critical care for war trauma and chronic diseases."

"We need more routes for urgent medical evacuation, and we would like to see the Kerem Shalom crossing and other routes also open for medical evacuation, and patients can then be transported to hospitals in East Jerusalem and the West Bank," Pepperkorn said.

Peppercorn stated, "A group of five children who were evacuated from northern Gaza to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis and were about to leave the Strip are still awaiting evacuation."