Mohammed Omer, The Electronic Intifada, 22 January 2008
Contributed by Lucia in Spain
".....The medicines given to Yahya earlier were no donation; Israel deducts the cost of medicines for Palestinian patients treated in Israeli hospitals from the taxes it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA). Israel retains rather than disburses the bulk of such payments. The PA continues to pay for medication whenever possible.
Now that Israel has declared Gaza a "hostile entity," it shut its borders, preventing travel from Gaza to hospitals in Israel, Jordan, Egypt and the West Bank......
Palestinian Ministry of Health spokesman Khaled Radi has confirmed that "72 people have died as a result of medicine shortages and not being permitted access to medical care." Among them are women, elderly people and children.
Radi has called for immediate international action to pressure Israel to allow necessary medical care to reach patients in Gaza.
"If proper medication was available, Jamal's case would not be as bad as it is now," says Dr. Iman Abu Ouan, one of the doctors treating him.
Dr. Quan says the hospital in Gaza where she has been treating Jamal has two radiology rooms for up to five cancer patients. That is simply not enough. And lack of beds forces patients to recover from treatment lying on the floor, with blankets from their own homes, she said. Others in need of care are asked to leave. This means essential care is often not possible......
Weingarten has records of many such cases. "This deliberate withholding of medical care for non-medical reasons is completely unjustifiable and could represent cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under the UN Convention Against Torture," she said. But Mustapha still waits, and looks for help. "We don't seek more than our right," the grief-stricken father says. "For God's sake, help us get to the hospital in Tel Aviv. My son deserves to survive. All I ask is a bit of mercy.""
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