Gaza's health care system remains in crisis, leaving thousands of critically ill and injured patients without access to lifesaving treatment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 18,500 patients, including approximately 4,000 children, need medical evacuation to receive specialized care unavailable in Gaza.
Although medical evacuations increased in 2026, from approximately 64 patients in January to several hundred in some months between February and June, the pace remains far too slow to meet the overwhelming need. At this rate, it could take years to evacuate everyone currently awaiting treatment, even without accounting for additional patients being added to the waiting list.
Urgent action is needed. We urge the State Department and U.S. leadership to:
- Work with Israeli authorities to reopen the medical referral pathway between Gaza and the East Jerusalem Hospital Network (EJHN);
- Facilitate and significantly expand medical evacuations for critically ill and injured Palestinians, including children;
- Coordinate with Israeli authorities, receiving countries and international health organizations to ensure timely, safe and sustained medical transfers; and
- Press for the immediate release of Palestinian doctors, nurses and paramedics detained without charge.
Contact your Members of Congress today and urge them to help expand lifesaving medical evacuations from Gaza.