Palestinian health authorities in the Gaza Strip said on Sunday that the Israeli occupation is obstructing the travel of more than 21,500 Palestinians seeking medical treatment abroad.
They reported that the Israeli occupation continues to close crossings to patients, leaving thousands stranded and unable to access treatment outside the Strip. They added that only about 420 Palestinian patients have been transferred for treatment outside Gaza in the past six months, an average of fewer than 70 cases per month, while more than 21,500 patients remain in dire need of treatment abroad. The Palestinian health authorities emphasized that critical cases and intensive care patients face significant difficulties traveling due to the lack of a mechanism to ensure their urgent transfer, resulting in them being placed on long waiting lists.
Meanwhile, a second flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza is expected to set sail today from the Spanish port of Barcelona, dubbed the “Spring 2026 Mission,” in an attempt to break the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. This is the second such attempt after Israeli forces prevented approximately 40 boats from reaching the besieged territory last October, arresting Swedish activist Greta Thunberg and more than 450 other participants.
Around 30 boats will depart from the Mediterranean port carrying medical supplies and other aid as part of the Global Resilience Flotilla. More boats are expected to join the flotilla along its route to the Palestinian territories.
Israel continues to violate the ceasefire agreement in Gaza, six months after it came into effect, through near-daily bombardments and by evading its obligations regarding humanitarian aid and reconstruction, amid international warnings of a deteriorating situation in the Strip.
