UN: Sick Gazans die needlessly
01/04/2008 21:05  - (SA)  

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Jerusalem - Israel has turned away more sick Palestinians from Gaza seeking treatment since Hamas seized control of the enclave and several have died each month unnecessarily, a UN agency said on Tuesday.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the number of applicants seeking to leave the Gaza strip and the percentage of those turned away surged after Hamas Islamists seized control of Gaza in June, the crossing to Egypt was closed and Israel tightened restrictions on the enclave.

Israel could not provide figures for how many sick Gazans were granted travel permits last year.

Israel's reasons

A senior defence official denied the system caused unnecessary death but said Israel was wary of would-be suicide bombers using illness as a cover.

Israel said its blockade on the enclave was a response to cross-border rocket fire by militants, while international organisations have condemned it as collective punishment.

"Even under fire and under threat we still co-ordinate the health needs of Gaza's population," said Colonel Nir Press, head of Israel's Coordination and Liaison Administration for Gaza.

Shortages of medicine, equipment and trained medics, which local officials blamed on Israeli restrictions, meant advanced health care was virtually non-existent in the Gaza Strip.

Thousands of Gazans have been treated over the years in the Jewish state.

Some die waiting

The WHO said 32 Gazans had died between October 1 and March 2 whilst waiting for travel permits.

"All these tragedies could have been easily avoided," WHO's head of office for the West Bank and Gaza, Ambrogio Manenti, told a news conference.

Palestinian medical officials in Gaza say more than 100 Gaza patients have died since June after being denied permits.

Israel failing Geneva Convention?

Israel pulled troops and settlers out of the Gaza Strip in 2005 but effectively still controlled its borders.

Palestinians said that meant that Israel had to observe Geneva Convention obligations as an occupying power to provide services to the territory.

Egypt allowed some Gazans in for treatment, but agreed with Israel to keep its border largely closed.

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