Israel restricts Palestinian access to over 16,500 medical treatments

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Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that Israel has restricted access to medical treatment for Palestinians abroad since its military operation began in October 2023. The ministry stated that over 16,500 Palestinians who require medical attention outside Gaza have been prevented from leaving due to Israeli restrictions.

According to the ministry, a “ceasefire” agreement, which went into effect in October last year, has not significantly improved the situation. The ministry warned that delays caused by Israel’s actions are resulting in patient deaths.

The dire situation highlights the challenges faced by Gaza’s healthcare system, which has been severely impacted by Israeli actions. The United Nations and aid groups have previously accused Israel of intentionally destroying the system to make Gaza uninhabitable.

Gaza authorities report that Israel has limited access to the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, with restrictions in place since February. Since then, the crossing has been temporarily closed several times. According to officials, Palestinians are only allowed to use the crossing three days a week for general travel, while medical evacuations are allocated just one day a week.

Maher Shamia, acting undersecretary of Gaza’s Health Ministry, attributed the crisis to Israel’s continued closure of the Rafah border crossing and called on human rights organizations to pressure Israel into allowing Palestinians to freely exit and re-enter Gaza. He noted that many patients can be treated locally if Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure is rebuilt.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, with nearly 90% of the population displaced and high levels of food insecurity reported. The United Nations Secretary-General has called on Israel to immediately reopen all crossings into Gaza and allow humanitarian aid to enter without restriction.

According to a joint assessment by the UN and European Union, human development in Gaza has been set back by 77 years due to Israeli actions. The report estimates that over $71 billion would be required for recovery and reconstruction, with more than $26 billion needed to restore essential services and rebuild critical infrastructure.

Source: Al Jazeera