UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has once again urged Israel to immediately allow humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip, as restrictions continue to prevent many Palestinians from leaving for medical treatment.
He made the appeal on Tuesday while more than 100 sick and injured Palestinians gathered at the recently reopened Rafah crossing, hoping to reach hospitals abroad. Guterres called for rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access at scale, including through the Rafah crossing, during remarks at UN headquarters in New York.
However, reporting from Gaza indicated that only a small number of Palestinians have been permitted to cross into Egypt, far below the figures Israeli officials previously promised. On Monday, the first day of supposed reopneing, 12 Palestinians were allowed into Gaza.
Journalists noted long delays for those trying to leave, a lack of explanation for the restrictions, and reports that travellers were forced to leave their belongings behind. With most of Gaza’s medical infrastructure destroyed, an estimated 20,000 people remain in urgent need of treatment outside the territory.
Meanwhile only a small number of female Palestinians were allowed to re-enter Gaza, after being strip-searched, blindfolded and handcuffed.
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