After months of waiting, Fida Ghanem finally received a permit to leave Gaza for urgent lymphoma treatment in the spring, only to face a heartbreaking setback the next day. The Rafah border crossing, the only gateway from Gaza to Egypt, was seized by Israeli forces as part of a military operation against Hamas, leaving many like Fida stranded. Tragically, Fida Ghanem, 42, passed away a month later in early June, while the border remained closed.
Her husband, Maher Ghanem, expressed his frustration, stating, “She should have been allowed to leave as soon as they found the cancer, but it was delay after delay.”
Since the war began nine months ago, the Rafah crossing has been crucial for Gazans seeking to leave the region. However, after Israel took control of the crossing in May, it has been inaccessible to civilians. Despite efforts from Israeli, Egyptian, and Palestinian officials, an agreement to reopen the crossing remains elusive.
Aid workers and doctors have raised concerns about the impact of the prolonged closure, particularly on vulnerable groups such as children with severe burns, cancer patients, and individuals in need of heart surgery. Over 10,000 people in Gaza require immediate medical attention outside the enclave, as reported by the World Health Organization.
Tania Hary, the director of Gisha, an Israeli human rights organization advocating for movement freedom for Palestinians in Gaza, emphasized the dire situation, saying, “The most vulnerable residents of Gaza — its children, sick, and elderly — are paying the highest price.”
