A Palestinian human rights report showed that Israel prevented the travel of about 51,000 patients out of 179 thousand and 746 patients, who asked to go out for treatment in its hospitals or those in the West Bank, between January 2008 and December 2018, at a rate of 28.4%.
The report issued by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (Gaza-based) added that, during the past year, 35% of the Gaza patients needing treatment in Israeli hospitals or West Bank hospitals were prevented from traveling through the Beit Hanoun (Erez) checkpoint. Northern Gaza Strip.
He pointed out that Israel deliberately restricted the sick Gazans, by preventing them from traveling, or by arresting them and their companions at checkpoints, as it resorted to blackmailing them in various ways.
The report pointed out that patients in the Gaza Strip who receive medical transfers apply to obtain an Israeli traffic permit that enables them to travel through the Beit Hanoun (Erez) checkpoint, which is the only passage that Israel allocates for the movement of individuals from it to the Gaza Strip and vice versa.
The report is entitled "Israeli Restrictions" on the travel of Gaza Strip patients for treatment abroad, and highlights the suffering of thousands of patients from Gaza residents and prevents them from receiving treatment abroad.
The report indicated that one of the most important reasons for the retreat of the health system in the Gaza Strip and preventing its progress is the Israeli blockade imposed since 2006, which prevents the entry of most of the necessary medical equipment.
Certificates
The report confirmed that the health conditions in the sector have witnessed a significant decline during the past years, for other reasons related to the 12-year-old Palestinian division, and also the frequent closure of the Rafah crossing, which witnessed the past period, which affected the condition of patients and led to the death of many of them while they awaited the improvement of conditions And travel for treatment.
The report included live testimonies issued by patients and their relatives, in which they refuted the claim of Israel that the patients prevented from traveling posed a threat to it, and cooperated with Palestinian organizations.
The report called on the international community to pressure Israel to allow it to allow all patients suffering from serious diseases, and they have no treatment in the Gaza Strip hospitals, to travel and reach the hospitals referred for treatment there immediately, without any delay.
He also called for the necessity of forcing Israel to stop its policy of imposing strict restrictions on patients from the Gaza Strip who are referred to abroad for treatment and that prevent them from traveling and preventing them from receiving treatment.
Earlier, the Ministry of Health in Gaza said that in the year 2018, 56 cases of death were not allowed by Israel to treat outside the Gaza Strip, while many cases with chronic diseases, such as kidney failure, cancer, continued to suffer from a lack of supplies inside the besieged sector.