At least three Palestinians were killed in Israeli drone strikes in Gaza, including two in the Zeitoun neighbourhood and one outside the "Yellow Line" in eastern Gaza City. A limited medical evacuation through the Rafah crossing allowed eight injured Palestinians and 17 family members into Egypt after a 19-day closure. Official death tolls in the war exceed 72,000, and aid groups warn that restrictions on evacuations and returns continue to hamper access to care.
Three Killed in Gaza Drone Strikes as Limited Rafah Evacuations Resume
Palestinians walk past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during Israel's more than two-year genocidal war, in Gaza City [File: Mahmoud Issa/Reuters]
At least three Palestinians were killed in Israeli drone strikes in Gaza on Thursday, while a small, limited group of wounded patients was evacuated through the Rafah crossing into Egypt after a 19-day closure amid wider regional fighting.
Doctors at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City reported that two people were killed when a drone struck the Zeitoun neighbourhood in eastern Gaza City. In a separate strike in another eastern area outside the so-called "Yellow Line," one person was killed and another was wounded. An unspecified number of others were reported injured in the day's attacks.
Evacuations Through Rafah
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that, after the crossing reopened on Thursday, eight injured Palestinians and 17 of their family members were allowed to enter Egypt for medical treatment. Several ambulances were seen waiting to evacuate patients from Gaza as medical transfers resumed on a limited basis.
Local medical sources described the evacuations as a critical, if small, lifeline for patients needing urgent care not available inside Gaza.
Humanitarian and medical authorities have criticized ongoing restrictions on evacuations and returns. Reports say the Rafah crossing was previously reopened in early February under terms linked to an October 2025 ceasefire agreement; Palestinian officials and aid groups have accused Israeli authorities of repeatedly restricting movements and medical transfers since then.
Casualties and Context
Official tallies place the death toll in the Gaza war at more than 72,000 people, including large numbers of women and children. Some independent researchers and humanitarian organizations say the true number of fatalities may be significantly higher. Coverage of the attacks and evacuations is ongoing and figures may be updated as more information becomes available.
Note: This account reflects statements from local hospitals, the Palestinian Red Crescent, and public reports. Attribution is used where claims are disputed or described by specific groups.
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