LONDON: A total of 23 Palestinian patients left the Gaza Strip on Monday to receive treatment abroad, accompanied by 28 family members and caregivers, according to the Palestine News Agency. They crossed the Rafah terminal, controlled by Israeli forces since May 2024, which borders Egypt. Israel partially reopened the crossing early this year. Four patients were denied exit and sent back on Monday. At the same time, no resident has returned from abroad to the Palestinian coastal enclave, according to the PNA. Israeli authorities have restricted travel for many Palestinians since February and have detained scores of travelers for security reasons. Israel has reoccupied nearly 70 percent of Gaza’s territory since October 2023, including the Palestinian side of the Rafah crossing and its environs. The Rafah crossing at Gaza’s southernmost point serves as a vital gateway for humanitarian supplies to reach the two million Palestinians living under harsh winter conditions. The death toll from the Israeli attacks on Gaza has risen to 74,643 fatalities and 175,962 injured since Oct. 7, 2023. On Monday, three children and one woman were killed when a sand embankment collapsed onto the tents of displaced persons. The Israeli regime faces charges of war crimes and genocide in the Occupied Territories, including the West Bank and East Jerusalem.