Israel increases pressure on Gaza patients to collaborate in exchange for treatment

PressTV - Gazan patients being harassed by Israel:

Wed Feb 16, 2011 10:13PM
Ashraf Shannon, Press TV, Gaza

"To put more pressure on Gazans, Israel has increased its interrogations of Gaza patients seeking medical treatment outside of the enclave.

Data collected by Al-Meezan Center for Human rights and its international affiliates indicate a rise in the number of Palestinian patients interrogated and forced to provide information as a precondition to exit Gaza.

Patients refused to talk to the press for fear of reprisal from Israeli Authorities.

Years of Israeli siege have led to acute shortage of necessary equipment and medicine in Gaza hospitals to deal with the relatively high number of seriously ill patients.

The situation is specially dangerous for chronically ill patients who have to be on medication for long and those requiring emergency operations.

According to Israeli rights group Betselem, Israel has breached the right of the residents to medical care inside Gaza and access to medical treatment outside the area.

Patients said that the (ISA) had interrogated and photographed them against their will. Experts say that Israel blackmails Gazans patients due to its obsession with security.

According to Israeli Physicians for Human Rights Organization, the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) exploited Gazans patients to collaborate and provide information in exchange for an exit permit.

The Ministry of health in Gaza has voiced concern over the current situation and called upon the international community to stand by the patients in the Gaza Strip.



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