Israeli authorities prevented 763 Palestinian patients from leaving the occupied Gaza Strip for medical treatment in September, reported the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Some 668 patient applications to travel through the Israeli-controlled Erez crossing were delayed, “receiving no definitive response to their application by the date of their hospital appointment”, said the WHO.
42% of #Gaza patient applications to exit for health care unsuccessful in September 2018.
Read WHO monthly report on Health Access Barriers in the occupied Palestinian territory: https://t.co/ounG9XtzEc pic.twitter.com/4U5T2iMr7k
— WHO-oPt (@WHOoPt1) October 31, 2018
Of these, 161 applications were for children under the age of 18 and 71 applications were for patients aged 60 years or older.
Meanwhile, 95 patient applications were explicitly denied permission to cross Erez for health care in September, including seven children and 14 patients aged 60 years or older.
Patients who come from Gaza to receive care that is not available to them any place else.3 minutes,https://vimeo.com/97561853
Posted by Sonomans for Justice and Peace in Palestine on Monday, October 1, 2018
More than 90 percent of denied permit applications “were for appointments at hospitals in East Jerusalem or the West Bank”, noted the WHO.
The report notes that 18 applications in September were for permits for those injured during Great March of Return demonstrations – only one of which was approved (one denied, 16 delayed).
(MEMO, PC, Social Media)
