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Israeli Fire Kills Two Palestinians Amid Restricted Rafah Medical Evacuations
At least two Palestinians killed by Israeli fire in Gaza, as thousands remain blocked from urgent medical care through the Rafah crossing. UN and WHO call for immediate access to critical treatment.
ND
by News Desk
2026-02-18
Israeli Fire Kills Two Palestinians Amid Restricted Rafah Medical Evacuations

At least two Palestinians were killed on Wednesday in separate incidents of Israeli fire across the Gaza Strip, as thousands remain unable to access urgent medical care due to continued restrictions at the partially-reopened Rafah crossing.

According to reports from the Palestinian news agency Wafa, 20-year-old Muhand Jamal al-Najjar was shot dead near the Bani Suheila roundabout east of Khan Younis. Gaza hospital sources also reported three additional Palestinians wounded by Israeli fire in al-Mughraqa and the al-Mawasi area of Rafah.

Since a ceasefire took effect in mid-October, which Israel has repeatedly violated, over 600 Palestinians have been killed and more than 1,600 injured, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.

Limited Medical Evacuations

The killings come as Israel continues to restrict Palestinians from leaving Gaza for medical treatment via the Rafah crossing into Egypt. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that only 260 patients have been allowed to leave Gaza since the crossing partially reopened more than two weeks ago — a tiny fraction of the roughly 18,500 patients needing urgent evacuation.

An Egyptian border official had initially promised that at least 50 Palestinians would cross in each direction daily, but only five patients were permitted to leave on the first day. Those returning to Gaza face intense scrutiny, including hours of blindfolded interrogations and physical searches, according to accounts gathered by Al Jazeera.

Calls from International Organizations

Humanitarian and medical groups, including the World Health Organization, have repeatedly urged Israel to allow Palestinians critical access to treatment outside Gaza. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for an “immediate reopening of the medical referral route to the West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” stressing the need for specialized care not available within the Strip.

Tedros also highlighted the importance of strengthening Gaza’s health system, which has been largely decimated by ongoing Israeli military operations. He urged increasing health services, replenishing medical supplies, and repairing damaged facilities to reduce dependence on medical evacuations.

As the humanitarian crisis deepens, international observers continue to press for the free movement of patients while condemning attacks on civilians.
Tagged:

Israel

Palestine

Gaza

HumanRights

RafahCrossing
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