Israel’s ongoing closure of Rafah crossing causes death of over 1,000 children, sick, injured

Israel has been blocking the entry of humanitarian aid through the Rafah border crossing for 100 consecutive days, resulting in the deaths of more than 1,000 children, patients, and injured people, the Gaza Media Office said on Wednesday.

Ismail Althwabta, head of the Media Office, spoke at a press conference about the devastating impact of Israel's blockade, which prevents medical supplies, health delegations, and all forms of aid from entering the Gaza Strip.

He emphasized that this has exacerbated the already dire medical and humanitarian situation.

The blockade has directly resulted in the deaths of over 1,000 children, patients, and injured people due to a lack of access to necessary medical care, he pointed out, describing the situation as a "humanitarian catastrophe affecting all aspects of life in Gaza."

The blockade has also prevented 25,000 patients and injured people from seeking medical treatment abroad, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis in the enclave, he said.

The Palestinian official called the closure of the Rafah crossing "a violation of international law" and urged the global community to put pressure on Israel and the US to reopen the crossing and allow aid into Gaza.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack last year by the Palestinian resistance group Hamas.

Nearly 40,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and over 92,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

More than ten months into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

The International Court of Justice has accused Israel of genocide and ordered a halt to its military operations in the southern city of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge before the city was invaded on May 6.