Gaza child dies waiting for Israeli permission to leave for treatment

Al JazeeraCenterEN 2 min read 100% complete February 23, 2026 at 11:47 AM

AI Summary

medium article 2 min

A Palestinian child in Gaza died on Sunday after waiting 14 months for Israeli approval to leave for medical treatment. The child, Nidal Abu Rabeea, suffered from an enlarged liver and high fever, but hospitals in Gaza, facing critical shortages due to Israeli restrictions, were unable to treat him. According to Gaza's Ministry of Health, 1,360 patients have died waiting for medical travel permits since Israel closed the Rafah crossing on May 7, 2024. While the Rafah crossing partially reopened on February 2, movement remains limited due to slow and restricted Israeli approvals. Gaza's health system faces near absence of patient evacuations, lack of medical equipment, shortage of medication, destruction of facilities, and need for medical workers.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Zaher al-Wahidi ×240% Gaza Ministry of Health 40% Al Jazeera ×250% Iman Hamdouna 50% Nidal Abu Rabeea 70% Rafah crossing ×375% Palestinians ×380% Gaza ×790% Israel ×995%

Keywords

gaza 100% medical treatment 90% israel 90% rafah crossing 80% child death 70% healthcare crisis 70% medical infrastructure 60% medical shortages 60% patient evacuation 50%