Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns the arrest by Israeli occupation forces of Dr. Mahmoud Al-Najjar while he was traveling through the Karem Abu Salem/Kerem Shalom crossing. The Center warns against turning the crossing into a new trap for arresting Palestinians, similar to the practices previously carried out at the Beit Hanoun (Erez) Crossing, where Palestinians traveling to the West Bank or into Israel for medical treatment or other purposes were frequently detained. Al Mezan stresses that luring Palestinians into arrest after granting them travel permits intensifies fear and anxiety among travelers and constitutes a violation of their rights guaranteed under international law.

According to field information collected by Al Mezan from the detainee’s brother, Dr. Mahmoud Talal Khalil Al-Najjar (38), an academic specializing in management and international economics and a resident of Jabalia Refugee Camp in North Gaza Governorate, headed to Karem Abu Salem/Kerem Shalom crossing on 1 June 2026 after completing coordination procedures through the Italian Embassy to travel to Italy. Dr. Al-Najjar had been awarded a scholarship to continue his studies at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. However, Israeli occupation forces arrested him immediately upon his arrival at the crossing.

It should be noted that Dr. Al-Najjar lost his wife and four children when Israeli occupation forces bombed the house to which they had been displaced in Jabalia on 25 October 2024. The attack resulted in the killing of 15 people.

Meanwhile, the Rafah Crossing remains subject to severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities on the movement of Palestinians both leaving and entering the Gaza Strip. These authorities currently permit the departure of approximately 150 individuals and the entry of a similar number into Gaza. If the number of departing travelers decreases, the number of incoming travelers is reduced accordingly to maintain parity. At the same time, Karem Abu Salem/Kerem Shalom Crossing has been designated as the passage for evacuating Palestinians other than patients, such as students and others. This is the same crossing through which the entry of humanitarian aid and commercial goods remains heavily restricted. Rafah Crossing, meanwhile, has been designated for the travel of patients and their companions.

Travel from the Gaza Strip has become an extremely complex humanitarian ordeal. Palestinians, particularly patients and the wounded, face lengthy and complicated procedures that hinder their right to healthcare and freedom of movement. The number of those allowed to leave remains extremely limited compared to the growing needs. According to data from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, more than 20,000 patients and wounded persons are awaiting travel abroad for medical treatment, including hundreds of life-saving cases, while only dozens of patients are permitted to leave in each travel batch.

These restrictions further exacerbate the suffering of those most in need of travel, especially patients who have waited for months to receive treatment abroad amid the collapse of the healthcare system and the severe shortage of medical resources, placing thousands of lives at risk.

It is worth noting that Rafah Crossing was partially reopened on 2 February 2026 after having been completely closed following its occupation by Israeli forces on 6 May 2024.

While Al Mezan Center for Human Rights strongly condemns the ongoing Israeli crimes, it renews its call on the international community to uphold its legal and moral responsibilities toward the population of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Center urges effective measures to ensure the opening of crossings and the protection of freedom of movement and travel, particularly for patients; to halt the killing of Palestinians, which has continued despite the ceasefire announced in October 2025; to put an end to the crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip; to activate mechanisms of accountability and justice; and to ensure that perpetrators of war crimes are not granted impunity.

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