After Mohammed al-Ser suffered a severe head injury in June, which he said was caused by shrapnel from an Israeli missile, doctors reconstructed his skull. But he has yet to regain the use of his left arm and leg.
Mr. al-Ser, 27, is among the thousands of Palestinians waiting to be evacuated for medical treatment as the border between Gaza and Egypt looks set to reopen in the coming days.
When approached for comment on Mr. al-Ser’s account of his injuries, the Israeli military said it had carried out a strike in that area in June 2025, targeting a Hamas operative.
The medical system in the Gaza Strip was decimated over more than two years of war. The border crossing, close to the city of Rafah, was a lifeline for patients seeking medical treatment they could not get inside the enclave.
The expected reopening of the Rafah crossing has brought hope to Gaza’s sick and wounded, and to their families.
Yet it is unclear how many will be able to leave Gaza through the crossing. On Friday, COGAT, the Israeli agency responsible for coordinating with Palestinians, said that the crossing would open on Sunday, and that there would be only a “limited movement of people” in both directions.
When asked whether priority would be given to the sick and wounded to leave Gaza, an Israeli security official said Egypt would share lists of those wishing to cross the border with Israeli authorities, who would then approve or deny their passage. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational details.
Here are the stories of some of those waiting to be evacuated.
About 20,000 people need to be evacuated for treatment abroad, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Since the border crossing at Rafah closed in March, about 1,000 Palestinians have been able to leave Gaza for medical treatment abroad by crossing first into Israel, according to the World Health Organization.
Yet those evacuations often required a lengthy approval process, as patients need a third country to host them during their treatment, and must get Israeli security clearance, the W.H.O. has said.
COGAT did not specify how many people would be allowed to enter and exit Gaza each day. It said crossings would be permitted in “coordination with Egypt” and following “security clearance” by Israel.
The opening of the Rafah crossing was part of a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas in October. Israel had refused to open the crossing in both directions until all of the living hostages held by Hamas, and the bodies of the deceased, were returned to Israel.
The last remains, those of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, a member of the Israeli police, were recovered by Israel on Monday.
Adam Rasgon is a reporter for The Times in Jerusalem, covering Israeli and Palestinian affairs.
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