Hamas accuses Israel of blocking patients' evacuation, worsening oxygen shortage

GAZA - The Hamas-run media office in Gaza accused on Sunday Israeli authorities of violating the ceasefire agreement by blocking the departure of the 15th group of patients and wounded individuals through the Rafah border crossing.

"The occupation continues to breach the ceasefire agreement, as it blocked the departure of the 15th group of patients and wounded today by delaying the release of their travel lists, preventing them from completing exit procedures," said the media office head Salama Marouf in a statement.

On Thursday, the media office reported that only 452 wounded and ill individuals, along with 620 companions, had left Gaza in 12 days of operation at the Rafah crossing, which was reopened under the ceasefire agreement.

According to the statement, the daily average of travelers was 90, falling short of the agreement's requirement of at least 450 travelers per day, including 150 patients and wounded individuals along with their companions.

"There are still 15,000 injured and ill people in Gaza who urgently need to travel for treatment outside the Strip amid a severe shortage of medicine and medical supplies due to the ongoing blockade and Israeli aggression since October 7, 2023," the statement added.

Also on Sunday, the Gaza-based health authorities warned in a statement of a severe oxygen shortage in the enclave after Israel destroyed 10 oxygen stations during the conflict.

Hospitals in Gaza are facing an extremely critical oxygen shortage after central stations were burned and destroyed, particularly at Al-Shifa Medical Complex, Al-Rantisi and Al-Durra hospitals, Al-Nasr and Indonesian medical complexes, and the Sheikh Radwan clinic station, the authorities said.

"The 10 destroyed stations had been meeting the oxygen needs of vital departments, including operating rooms, intensive care units, emergency departments, and neonatal incubators, in addition to the needs of patients at home," they said.

The Israeli authorities prevented oxygen stations from entering Gaza's hospitals, which "will exacerbate the crisis to levels that threaten patients' lives," they said, urging international organizations and relevant entities to secure and facilitate the entry of the needed oxygen stations.

In a separate statement, the health authorities said Gaza hospitals have received seven dead bodies -- six retrieved from under the rubble and one newly killed -- along with five injuries in the past 24 hours.

The Palestinian death toll from Israeli attacks on Gaza since the onset of the conflict has risen to 48,219, with 111,665 others injured, they said.