Medical evacuation from Gaza ready as Rafah crossing reopens

With the reopening of the Rafah crossing on Wednesday, UN humanitarians said medical evacuations of people seeking treatment outside Gaza are now ready to resume.



The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian border reopened for a limited number of people travelling in both directions after a two-day closure imposed by the Israeli authorities. Assistance was also offered to people returning to the Gaza Strip.



The Kerem Shalom/Karem Abu Salem crossing also reopened for the transport of food and other humanitarian supplies. However, operations remain severely constrained as it is currently the only crossing point available for cargo, OCHA said in its latest situation update.



The World Food Programme reached about 1.4 million people in the Gaza Strip last month with assistance, including food parcels, bread bundles, hot meals and malnutrition treatment. The agency also provided cash assistance to about 500,000 people, according to an update posted on its website.