Gaza Teen's Hope for Walking Again Hinges on Rafah Border Opening
The fate of a 15-year-old Palestinian girl's ability to walk again now rests precariously on the promised reopening of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt. Rimas Abu Lehia was wounded five months ago when Israeli troops opened fire toward a crowd of hungry people mobbing an aid truck for food in Gaza, with a bullet shattering her left knee. Her best chance for recovery lies in surgery abroad, but she is among more than 20,000 Palestinians, including 4,500 children, waiting for medical evacuation, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Critical Need for Evacuations as Gaza Hospitals Struggle
Israel's campaign in Gaza following the Hamas October 2023 attack has decimated the territory's health sector. The few hospitals still functioning are overwhelmed by casualties, facing severe shortages of medical supplies and restricted aid entry. Complicated surgeries for thousands of wounded, including amputees, cannot be performed, and chronic conditions go untreated. Gaza's single specialized cancer hospital shut down early in the war and was later destroyed by Israeli troops in early 2025.
More than 10,000 patients have left Gaza for treatment abroad since the war began, according to the World Health Organization. However, evacuations slowed dramatically after Israeli troops seized and closed the Rafah crossing in May 2024. Until the ceasefire, only around 17 patients a week were evacuated, except for a brief surge during a two-month ceasefire in early 2025. Tragically, more than 1,200 patients have died while waiting for evacuation, with about 440 having life-threatening injuries or diseases.
Border Opening Offers Limited Hope
Israel has announced the Rafah crossing would open in both directions on Sunday, with the Israeli military body coordinating aid to Gaza stating that "limited movement of people only" would be allowed. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Israel will allow 50 patients a day to leave, though others have mentioned up to 150 daily. This represents a significant increase from the about 25 patients a week allowed since the ceasefire began, according to U.N. figures. Yet, it would still take anywhere from 130 to 400 days of crossings to evacuate everyone in need.
A U.N. official, speaking anonymously, noted that many countries are reluctant to accept patients because Israel would not guarantee their return to Gaza. The majority of evacuees have gone to Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Turkey. It remains unclear if this will change with Rafah's opening, as even with daily evacuations, the numbers are insufficient. Israel has also banned sending patients to hospitals in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and east Jerusalem since the war began, cutting off a previously main outlet for treatment.
Personal Stories of Suffering and Desperation
Rimas Abu Lehia's life has been transformed by her injury. "I wish I didn’t have to sit in this chair," she said, crying as she pointed at her wheelchair. "I need help to stand, to dress, to go to the bathroom." Her father, Sarhan Abu Lehia, expressed despair, noting her condition worsens daily as she sits alone and cries. Officials told the family last month she would be evacuated in January, but nothing has happened yet.
Other patients face similar dire circumstances. Ahmed Barham, a 22-year-old university student battling leukemia, has lost 35 kilograms (77 pounds) and needs urgent treatment abroad, with no available options in Gaza. His father, Mohamed Barham, said, "My son is dying before my eyes." Mahmoud Abu Ishaq, a 14-year-old, has been waiting over a year for treatment abroad after being blinded by a retinal detachment from an Israeli strike. His father, Fawaz Abu Ishaq, said, "We are waiting for the crossing to open."
Gaza has more than 11,000 cancer patients, with about 75% of necessary chemotherapy drugs unavailable, and at least 4,000 cancer patients need urgent treatment abroad. Five human rights groups have petitioned Israel’s High Court of Justice to remove the ban on sending patients to the West Bank and east Jerusalem, though the court has not ruled. In a rare case, one cancer patient was allowed to travel to the West Bank for treatment on Jan. 11 after a court petition.
The reopening of the Rafah crossing offers a glimmer of hope, but for thousands like Rimas Abu Lehia, it is a race against time as they pin their survival on borders that may open too slowly to save them.
