ABNA24 - Data released by Gaza’s Crossings and Borders Authority for September 2026 showed the continued humanitarian suffocation of the Gaza Strip, as repeated crossing closures restricted the movement of travelers and the entry of basic supplies at a time when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians face growing needs for food, medicine, shelter and fuel.
The figures reflect the gap between Gaza’s immense humanitarian needs and the limited movement allowed through the crossings. Residents’ ability to leave Gaza for medical treatment or travel remained almost paralyzed, while incoming supplies stayed far below the level needed to address the effects of war, displacement and widespread destruction of homes, infrastructure and health facilities.
The report showed that the Rafah crossing remained closed for 20 out of 30 days in September, a closure rate of 66.6%. Passenger movement through the Karem Abu Salem crossing was halted for 26 days, with a disruption rate of 86.6%.
1,197 Palestinian travelers with zero movement between Gaza and West Bank
The near-total closure of crossings designated for the movement of people reduced the number of those leaving Gaza to only 1,197 travelers throughout the month.
They included 485 patients who left for treatment outside the Strip, an average of no more than 16 patients per day, along with 547 companions and 165 evacuation cases. Movement between Gaza and the West Bank stood at zero throughout the month.
The number of patients allowed to travel is especially significant amid the collapse of large parts of Gaza’s health system, shortages of medicines, supplies and medical equipment, and the unavailability of many specialized services. For many patients, travel abroad is a life-saving necessity, not an option that can be delayed.
Commercial and relief movement crippled
The impact of the closures was not limited to the movement of people. The Zikim and Kissufim crossings remained completely shut throughout all 30 days of September, recording a 100% closure rate.
Commercial and relief movement was limited to the Karem Abu Salem crossing, which itself was suspended for three days. A total of 5,265 trucks entered the Strip through it during the month.
However, the overall number of trucks does not necessarily reflect Gaza’s actual needs. The distribution of goods showed clear gaps in materials needed to support displaced families, operate vital sectors and repair what the war has destroyed.
Fewer than five shelter trucks a day
In the shelter and relief sector, only 139 trucks entered Gaza during the month, averaging fewer than five trucks per day, along with just five trucks carrying zinc sheets.
These quantities arrived while large numbers of Gaza residents continue to live in tents and temporary shelters, with rising need for shelter materials and protection from weather conditions, especially as winter approaches with added risks for displaced families who lack adequate housing and sufficient heating.
Fuel and medicine under severe restrictions
Fuel figures also reveal the pressure facing service and health sectors. Only six trucks of gasoline entered Gaza in September, compared with 147 trucks of diesel and 87 trucks of gas.
Diesel remains vital for operating hospitals, health facilities, water and sewage stations, and other essential services that depend on fuel to provide minimum support to the population.
Medical and health supplies were limited to 104 trucks carrying medical tools and supplies. These quantities entered amid enormous health needs, continuing shortages of medicines and equipment, lack of spare parts and the breakdown of several medical devices.
Closed crossings: A crisis beyond travel
The figures place Gaza in a humanitarian crisis that goes far beyond disrupted travel and trade. Crossing closures restrict patients’ access to treatment, limit the entry of food, medicine, shelter supplies and fuel, and deepen the accumulated effects of war, destruction and displacement.
As restrictions continue, thousands of patients still need to travel, displaced families await materials to protect them from winter, and hospitals and vital facilities need fuel and supplies to keep operating.
The Crossings and Borders Authority said September’s figures reflect the continuation of repeated closures and restrictions on Gaza’s main land crossings, keeping the flow of aid, basic supplies, reconstruction materials and shelter items below the worsening needs of the population.
In Gaza, a closed crossing does not only mean that travelers and trucks stop moving. For a patient, it can mean delayed treatment; for a family, prolonged displacement; for a hospital, another shortage of medicine or fuel; and for thousands of displaced people, another day waiting for something to protect them from the winter cold.
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