The Rafah border crossing has opened for the first time in nearly nine months to allow sick and wounded Palestinian patients in Gaza to travel to Egypt for medical treatment abroad.
Gaza’s Health Ministry on Saturday said a group of 50 patients, accompanied by 61 caregivers, crossed from Rafah to reach Egypt.
Egyptian television showed Palestinian Red Cross ambulances pulling up to the crossing gate, and several children being brought out on stretchers and transferred to ambulances on the Egyptian side.
Many of the patients are suffering from chronic diseases, including cancer, and have been unable to get treatment during Israel’s 15-month war.
A total of 400 Palestinians will be allowed to leave Gaza as part of a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel on January 19.
The reopening of the Rafah crossing represents a significant breakthrough that bolsters the deal. Israel agreed to reopen the crossing after Hamas released the last living female captives in Gaza.
The opening of the key border crossing also came on the heels of Hamas releasing three Israeli captives in Gaza earlier on Saturday in exchange for more than 180 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails.
Mohammed Zaqout, director of hospitals in Gaza’s Health Ministry, said more than 6,000 Palestinian patients were ready to be evacuated abroad, and at least 12,000 patients were in urgent need of treatment.
He said the small numbers set to be evacuated will not cover the need, “and we hope the number will increase”.
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