GAZA, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Gaza-based health authorities said the medical evacuation of patients through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, scheduled on Sunday, was canceled due to the lack of Israeli security clearances.
In a brief press statement, the authorities said only a limited number of Palestinian patients are being permitted to exit, with security clearance delays stretching for months.
Of roughly 70 urgent life-saving cases submitted in recent weeks, just five received approval, according to the statement.
The authorities urged international and UN bodies to intervene to increase the number of patients allowed to travel, cut wait times and fast-track travel procedures for critical cases.
There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities regarding the statement.
Since the Rafah crossing reopened in February, Israeli authorities have allowed about 7,417 people to leave Gaza, less than 36 percent of the 20,600 originally slated for travel, according to statistics from the Hamas-run media office in Gaza in mid-June.
The Rafah crossing, Gaza's main gateway to Egypt, has long served as a key exit point for Palestinians seeking medical treatment, higher education and employment abroad. ■
