Palestinians Head to Border

Palestinians on both sides of the Gaza-Egypt border are making their way to the crossing in hopes of getting through, a key requirement for the US-backed ceasefire. The crossing opened last week for the first time since 2024, but it’s been a slow and frustrating process.

Delays and Red Tape

Only a handful of Palestinians have been allowed to cross in each direction, with just 36 patients and 62 companions making it out to Egypt in the first four days. That’s despite nearly 20,000 people in Gaza waiting to get out for medical treatment that’s not available in the war-torn territory.

Those who have managed to cross describe hours of delays and rough treatment at the hands of Israeli forces and other groups involved in the crossing, including an Israeli-backed Palestinian militia called Abu Shabab.

Patients Desperate for Help

A group of Palestinian patients and their families gathered at a Red Crescent hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Sunday, waiting to head to the Rafah crossing and get the medical help they desperately need. One patient, Amjad Abu Jedian, was shot by an Israeli sniper in July 2024 and has been waiting for treatment ever since.

It’s a ridiculous situation, with patients being forced to wait for hours or even days to get the help they need. As one relative said, ‘We want them to take care of the patients. We want the Israeli army to leave them alone.’.