The Gaza Health Ministry says more than 1,500 Palestinian patients have died while waiting for medical evacuation, and over 16,500 remain unable to leave the Strip for treatment abroad. The ministry's acting undersecretary, Maher Shamiya, warned that each day of delay increases the death toll. The figures, provided by the Hamas-run ministry, are not independently verified.
The Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government in the Strip, reported overnight Tuesday that more than 1,500 patients have died while awaiting medical evacuation since the conflict began, and that over 16,500 patients in need of treatment abroad remain unable to leave. Acting Undersecretary Maher Shamiya said that "every day of delay increases the number of victims and threatens the lives of more patients." The ministry has previously claimed that 6 to 10 patients die each day from treatable conditions because they cannot access care. The figures are not independently verified, do not distinguish between combatants and civilians, and come amid ongoing restrictions on the movement of people out of Gaza even after the October 2025 ceasefire. Israel has maintained that it permits medical evacuations subject to security screening, though humanitarian groups have consistently criticized the pace and scale of approvals. The report from the Palestinian health ministry adds to a longstanding point of contention in the conflict, but carries no independent corroboration and is presented here as the ministry's allegation.
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- StrongLebanese Health Ministry: 3,696 killed, 11,413 wounded since March 2
Source and signal
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