Abu Abdullah Skik sits in a wheelchair in the Al-Saraya district of central Gaza City, waiting for travel documents that could restore a fraction of the life he lost two years ago, the Saba News Agency reported. Skik survived an airstrike that killed six people and cost him both his legs, but bureaucratic delays and restricted medical evacuations have left him stranded with chronic pain and a makeshift livelihood.
The Airstrike That Halted a Construction Career
Before the conflict began, Skik worked in formwork construction, a physically demanding trade requiring prolonged standing. An Israeli military strike targeted a car parked directly beside him, killing six individuals instantly. When Skik regained consciousness, medical personnel informed him of his severe injuries and the fatalities among those nearby. The blast left him a double amputee, entirely altering his daily existence and his ability to support his dependents.
To sustain his seven-member household, Skik operates a small street stand selling tea and coffee. Despite his physical disability, he maintains the daily routine to generate whatever income he can. He views the small enterprise not merely as a financial lifeline, but as a deliberate defense against disability and helplessness. The work on this stand is an attempt to escape my injury and disability and to prove that I still can work and provide for my family,
Skik told the Palestinian news agency Shehab.
Two Years of Waiting for Medical Evacuation
Skik holds official medical referral papers and a formal travel permit for treatment abroad, yet his departure has never materialized. He possesses a completed file and planned to travel immediately, but ongoing restrictions have stalled his movement. Medical evacuations from the Gaza Strip remain severely constrained, creating a massive backlog of patients who require urgent specialty care unavailable inside the enclave.
Recent data published by the World Health Organization in February 2026 indicates that more than 18,500 patients in Gaza require specialized medical care abroad. This total includes roughly 4,000 children. Current evacuation rates proceed slowly, with figures showing just 101 patients and 164 companions airlifted or transferred over a single week. At that operational pace, clearing the existing backlog of medical evacuees would require more than three and a half years, a timeline that excludes the continuous influx of newly injured patients.
Medical evacuation delays cause patient deaths
The protracted waiting periods carry lethal consequences for vulnerable residents. The WHO has confirmed that several patients have died while awaiting the processing and approval of their medical evacuations. In response to the crisis, the United Nations and international health agencies continue to press for the complete resumption of medical transfers into the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, to shorten transit times and provide timely interventions.
For Skik, the medical paperwork remains a stack of unfulfilled promises. The delay forces him to balance managing chronic physical pain with running his coffee stand just to secure basic provisions. International agencies project that thousands of remaining patients face similar uncertainties, with many potentially missing their window for effective treatment as administrative and logistical hurdles persist.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gaza Medical Evacuations
How many patients currently require medical evacuation from Gaza?
The World Health Organization reported in February 2026 that over 18,500 patients in the Gaza Strip need specialized medical care abroad, including approximately 4,000 children.
What is the current rate of medical evacuations out of Gaza?
Medical transfers operate under strict limits, with recent figures documenting only 101 patients and 164 companions evacuated over a one-week period.
Where do international organizations want patients transferred?
The United Nations and the WHO have repeatedly urged authorities to resume medical transfers into the West Bank, specifically including East Jerusalem, to speed up access to necessary care.
What injuries did Abu Abdullah Skik sustain?
Skik lost both legs in an airstrike that targeted a car beside him, an attack that also killed six other people in Gaza City.
Related reading