Israel Allows Over 100 Gaza Patients to Exit Despite Hamas Obstruction Claims

On Monday, Israel permitted more than 100 residents of the Gaza Strip requiring medical treatment to leave via the Kerem Shalom crossing en route to receiving care in third countries. Israeli security officials rejected Hamas's accusations that Israel prevents patients from exiting Gaza, stating the reality on the ground shows the opposite. A security source said, "While Hamas continues to spread the lie that Israel blocks patients from Gaza seeking medical care, the facts prove otherwise. Yesterday, Israel allowed over 100 Gaza residents to leave through Kerem Shalom for treatment abroad." The source added that the patients were delayed for over an hour at a Hamas checkpoint inside Gaza before departure. Israel noted that the United Nations condemned this delay and warned of its impact on humanitarian passage. Israeli officials also highlighted that while accusations against Israel receive broad international attention, Hamas's actions against civilians do not receive comparable scrutiny from human rights organizations. The source further stated that since the war began, Israel has allowed nearly 50,000 Gaza residents, mostly patients and their escorts, to exit to third countries. Additionally, since the ceasefire, the Rafah crossing has remained open, with approximately 4,100 people entering Gaza and 4,400 leaving through it so far.