Over 20,000 patients are waiting for the opening of the Rafah crossing to leave Gaza for treatment as Israel refuses to reopen Rafah, the Health Ministry in besieged Palestinian enclave said. In a statement, ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said “since Israel reoccupied the Rafah crossing, no patients have been able to leave the Gaza Strip,” noting that “even those who are abroad cannot return to their homeland”.