Five patients from the Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)-supported Nasser hospital share their stories while awaiting medical evacuation from Gaza. Two mothers speak about their children’s critical conditions and three adults describe their in need of lifesaving treatment abroad. Their testimonies document the struggle of Palestinians who can no longer access essential medical care due to the decimation of Gaza’s health system by Israeli forces.

There are now more than 18,500 people awaiting medical evacuation from Gaza. More than one in five of them are children.

Yet only a small portion of those in need of medical evacuation have been able to do so. Critical cases are being delayed or denied, often with fatal consequences. More than 1,000 patients have died waiting since July 2024, according to the Ministry of Health. This figure is likely underreported.

These stories highlight the urgent need for a permanent medical evacuation mechanism and unhindered humanitarian access so patients can receive the care they need and eventually return home safely.