WHO urges Israel to abolish health restrictions on Gaza

By Nour Abu Aisha

GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) – Calling for an end to health restrictions on Gaza, the World Health Organization on Tuesday urged Israel to facilitate the movement of Palestinian patients to receive treatment.

“Throughout the year, WHO continued to document the impact of barriers to health access on the Palestinian people in Gaza,” the organization said in a report titled “Palestinian Voices 2022 -2023.”

The organization documented that about 20,295 patients applied for permits, 33% of which were delayed or denied.

It also reported that 26,461 companion permit applications were filed, 62% of which were delayed or denied.

According to the report, 935 patients were delayed at Erez Checkpoint, a border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel, due to the requirement for ambulance-to-ambulance transfer.

The report also said the August military escalation caused 289 patients to miss hospital appointments due to checkpoint closure.

The Israeli army carried a military offensive in Gaza on August 5-7, 2022.

The health sector in Palestine is witnessing a noticeable decline in the movement of patients, health staff and essential medicines in the besieged Gaza Strip due to Israeli restrictions.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi