GAZA, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Between five and seven patients are dying daily in the Gaza Strip due to delays in accessing treatment abroad, a medical official said on Sunday, as dozens of Palestinians protested against the Israeli blockade and what they called a deliberate "starvation policy."
Bashar Murad, director of health programs at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, said in a statement that more than 18,000 patients require referrals to specialized medical centers outside Gaza.
The health sector has suffered major losses, with 29 hospitals rendered inoperable during the ongoing conflict, Murad noted.
Murad added that other hospitals are operating under severely limited capacity, forcing staff to prioritize only life-threatening cases.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that its teams participated on Sunday in a medical evacuation of 79 people, including 38 patients and 41 companions, from the society's headquarters in Khan Younis through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, in coordination with the World Health Organization.
Yet Gaza-based health authorities warned of critical shortages of medicines and medical supplies, threatening thousands of patients.
In a statement, the authorities said that around 250 kidney patients could lose access to dialysis sessions due to shortages of medical supplies, eight children may have their dialysis treatment suspended because of a lack of filters, insulin shortages are worsening conditions for about 11,000 diabetic patients, and 110 hemophilia patients are suffering due to a lack of appropriate treatment.
Separately, dozens protested in the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip against the Israeli blockade and "starvation policy."
Children banged on empty pots and pans as banners read "No to Hunger," "No to the Policy of Starvation and Blockade," and "We Deserve to Live Without Hunger."
Abdullah Mughari, speaking on behalf of civil society organizations, said that the residents in the enclave are facing dire humanitarian conditions due to the ongoing blockade and food shortages.
Despite a ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025, living conditions in the coastal enclave, home to more than two million people, remain dire.
