Medical evacuation from Gaza ready as Rafah crossing reopens: UN office

UNITED NATIONS -- 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.

Palestinian armed elements backed by Israeli forces Tuesday detained several Palestinians, including ambulance crew members from the Palestine Red Crescent Society, according to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

In a post on social media platform X, OHCHR urged Israel to ensure public order and safety in Gaza and to refrain from, and prevent, "such violations of international law, including the obstruction of medical services."

In the West Bank, reports of violence by Israeli forces and settlers against Palestinians continue.

OCHA said that from the beginning of the year through Monday, 57 Palestinians, including 13 children and two women, were killed across the West Bank. Of them, 41 were killed by Israeli forces, 13 by Israeli settlers and three by either Israeli forces or settlers.

So far this year, OCHA has documented more than 980 settler-related incidents resulting in casualties or property damage across more than 230 communities, averaging six incidents per day.

"The United Nations reiterates its call for the protection of civilians, including health-care workers, and full respect for international law," the humanitarian office said.