The British government has voiced its strongest condemnation yet of the delays in evacuating critically ill patients from Gaza, following a series of avoidable deaths that have sparked outrage among medical charities and human rights groups. In a statement released late last night, the Foreign Office described the situation as an “unfolding humanitarian catastrophe” and called for immediate safe passage for those in urgent need of medical treatment.
The crisis has deepened in recent weeks as the Rafah border crossing, the only route out of the territory for the sick and wounded, has been subject to repeated closures and restrictions. More than 10,000 patients are estimated to be in need of evacuation, with children and the elderly among those left to die in conditions that doctors describe as “medieval.”
One doctor working with the International Rescue Committee told us: “We have seen patients who could have been saved with simple treatments die because they could not get to a hospital. The delays are criminal.”
British aid organisations have been lobbying the government for weeks to take a stronger stance. The Prime Minister, speaking earlier today, said that the UK would “not stand by” and that additional diplomatic pressure would be applied. However, critics argue that words have not been matched by action.
The United Nations has also called for an independent investigation into the delays, with the World Health Organization warning that the health system in Gaza is on the verge of total collapse. For the families of those who have died, the anguish is compounded by the knowledge that their loved ones could have been saved. As one mother told us, her voice breaking: “My son died waiting for a permit. He was just six years old.”
The UK government has now pledged to increase funding for medical evacuations and to facilitate the transfer of patients to hospitals in Jordan and Egypt. But for many, these promises come too late. The question now is whether the world will act before more lives are lost.
