In ongoing aggression across the Palestinian territories, Israeli forces have killed two individuals in separate attacks.
In northern Gaza, an Israeli drone strike targeted a group of children who were visiting the ruins of a destroyed home, resulting in the death of one child. Separately, a 20-year-old youth was shot and killed by Israeli forces in Bani Suhaila, Khan Younis. Additional casualties were reported following attacks in the Al-Mughraqa and Al-Mawasi areas of Gaza.
Despite a nominal ceasefire agreement signed on October 10 last year following two years of conflict, Israeli forces have consistently violated the terms by launching repeated strikes on Gaza. Since the agreement was supposed to take effect, approximately 600 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,600 others have sustained injuries.
Israeli authorities continue to obstruct thousands of patients in Gaza from accessing essential medical treatment abroad. Although the Rafah crossing, connecting Gaza to Egypt, was reopened approximately three weeks ago after an extended closure, Israel persists in refusing to allow patients to leave the strip for urgent care.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), out of the estimated 18,500 individuals requiring urgent medical evacuation, only 260 patients have been permitted to leave through the Rafah crossing to date. While Egypt had previously indicated that up to 50 people would be allowed to cross daily, the reality is that only about five patients are being granted passage per day.
International health and human rights organizations, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have repeatedly called for the immediate facilitation of medical evacuations for Gaza’s residents.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged the establishment of dedicated medical corridors to ensure the safe passage of patients in and out of Gaza. He further emphasized the critical need to scale up health services within Gaza, repair damaged medical infrastructure, and increase the supply of essential medical equipment.
Furthermore, the number of individuals returning to Gaza through the Rafah crossing has significantly dwindled. Since its reopening, only 269 people had entered Gaza as of February 11. Reports indicate that those attempting to return are subjected to degrading treatment by Israeli forces. According to these reports, returnees are often blindfolded and subjected to hours of interrogation and psychological intimidation before being granted entry into Gaza.
