21,000 Patients in Gaza in Need of Treatment Abroad

Gaza -October 7, 2026- The Ministry of Health in Gaza said around 21,000 patients urgently need medical evacuation and treatment abroad, amid the severe deterioration of the healthcare system and the closure of the Rafah crossing since May 2024.

The ministry said the patients include 5,600 children, 2,800 cancer and oncology patients, 194 life-threatening cases requiring urgent evacuation, and around 2,000 emergency cases.

It added that 2,027 patients have died while waiting for medical evacuation since the crossing was closed, while thousands remain in need of treatment outside Gaza.

The ministry said around 12,000 cancer patients were in Gaza before the war, including 600 children. Around 1,500 have died during the war, while approximately 2,800 cancer patients remain in need of medical evacuation.