Between five and seven Gaza patients daily on brink of death

Between five and seven patients in Gaza are on the brink of death due to delays in accessing overseas treatment, as dozens of Palestinians protest against Israel’s blockade and what they describe as deliberate ‘starvation policies’. In a statement on Sunday (24 May), Palestinian Red Crescent Society’s Health Programme Director Bashar Murad said over 18,000 patients require referral to specialised medical centres outside Gaza. The health sector has been severely impacted, with 29 hospitals unable to operate during the ongoing conflict, Murad added. Murad added that other hospitals are operating at severely limited capacity, forcing staff to prioritise only life-threatening cases. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its teams participated in the medical evacuation of 79 people — 38 patients and 41 escorts — from its Khan Younis headquarters via the Rafah crossing with Egypt on Sunday, in coordination with the World Health Organization (WHO). However, Gaza-based health authorities warned of critical shortages of medicines and essential medical supplies, threatening the lives of thousands of patients. In a statement, authorities said around 250 kidney patients could lose access to dialysis sessions due to medical supply shortages, eight children may have to stop dialysis treatment due to filter shortages, insulin shortages are worsening conditions for approximately 11,000 diabetic patients, and 110 haemophilia patients are suffering from inadequate care. Meanwhile, dozens of people staged protests in the Bureij refugee camp in central Gaza against Israel’s blockade and what they term deliberate ‘starvation policies’. During the protests, children banged empty pots and pans while holding banners reading ‘Reject Starvation’, ‘Reject Starvation and Blockade Policies’, and ‘We Have the Right to Live Without Starvation’. Speaking on behalf of several civil society organisations, Abdullah Mughari said residents in the enclave are facing horrific humanitarian conditions due to the blockade and food shortages. Despite a ceasefire having been in place since 10 October 2025, living conditions in the coastal region, home to over two million people, remain dire.