GAZA / Husni Nadim / Anadolu

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate announced on Wednesday that more than 40 journalists who are wounded or ill need to travel outside the Gaza Strip for treatment.

This came in a statement by the Deputy Head of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Tahsin al-Astal, to an Anadolu reporter on the sidelines of a solidarity vigil organized by the syndicate inside the Media Solidarity Center in Gaza City, in support of wounded and ill journalists who need to travel for treatment outside the Strip.

Al-Astal said the syndicate "has documented more than 40 cases that require urgent travel abroad," noting that the individuals suffer from injuries and illnesses requiring treatment outside the Gaza Strip.

He added that "the Israeli occupation prevents, even until now, the travel of wounded and ill journalists, despite medical reports confirming their need for treatment abroad for more than three years."

He continued: "We, as a journalists' syndicate and as colleagues of the injured and ill, will not allow this crime to occur, and we will begin organizing ongoing events to pressure the occupation and all relevant parties to allow them to travel."

For his part, photojournalist Moaz al-Salhi, who suffers from Crohn's disease, told Anadolu that he needs to travel for treatment, explaining that his health condition has deteriorated recently and that he has been hospitalized several times.

Al-Salhi, who works as a photojournalist, added that he holds medical referrals for treatment outside the Strip dating back to 2023 and 2024, in addition to a recent referral issued during 2026, but he has not been able to travel so far.

He continued: "There is no treatment available for me here in Gaza," stressing that the continuation of his health condition without proper treatment threatens his life.

Al-Salhi pointed out that there are other journalists "suffering from more serious health conditions and injuries," adding that "about 500 journalists were injured during the war, and some of them need to travel for treatment," according to his estimates.

Meanwhile, journalist Mahmoud al-Qahwaji told Anadolu that he "was injured while covering events in the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, and underwent about 25 surgeries since his injury, but he still suffers from multiple health problems, including injuries to the spine and right hand, and problems with the jaw, teeth, and hearing."

He added: "I wish to obtain my right like any normal human being, like any sick citizen," noting that "traveling for treatment has become part of dreams and wishes for patients and the wounded in Gaza."

On Monday, the head of the Freedoms Committee of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, Muhammad al-Lahham, said that Israel has killed 8 journalists among 467 violations committed by the Israeli army and settlers against journalists during the first half of 2026, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The ceasefire agreement was reached after two years of the Israeli genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, which began on October 8, 2023, with American support, and resulted in the killing of about 73,000 Palestinians and the injury of more than 173,000, most of them children and women, in addition to the destruction of nearly 90% of civilian infrastructure.