September 20, 2022: Tayseer Daoud Yousuf Al-Sayegh, 67, died after the Israeli authorities denied his travel for treatment at Al-Muttala Hospital in occupied Jerusalem.
Mikhail Yousuf Nicola Al-Nasrawi, 28, the patient’s companion, said that in a medical examination for Dr. al-Sayegh at al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City late in July 2022, doctors discovered a cancerous tumor spread in his lung and liver and confirmed the urgent need for an urgent treatment protocol that is not available in the Gaza Strip Hospitals and only available in Al-Muttala’ Hospital in occupied Jerusalem.
Al-Sayegh received a referral for medical referral and a hospital appointment on 05 September 2022.
He then applied for a permit to the Israeli authorities to travel via Beit Hanoun ‘Erez’ crossing and receive treatment at the Hospital on the date appointed for his treatment, yet the latter delayed responding to his travel permit and the appointment date expired.
As a result, he had to obtain a new appointment on October 22, 2022, and applied again for the permit to allow him to travel.
The patient headed to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) to help him obtaining a permit, but his health condition deteriorated, and he died at dawn on Tuesday before his permit was issued.
PCHR, in its capacity as the legal representative, intervened and sent an urgent request to the Israeli legal advisor at Bein Hanoun “Erez” crossing to allow the patient to travel on September 5, 2022, but received a response that the permit was denied.
PCHR then submitted a challenge to the Israeli Prosecution on September 15, to all the patient to travel due to his serious condition, but the patient died before receiving a response to the challenge.
According to PCHR’s follow-up, since the beginning of so far this year, the Israeli authorities have obstructed the travel of 5,001 patients with serious diseases that lack treatment at the Strip’s hospitals.[1]
These restrictions coincide with the deterioration of the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli-imposed closure on the Gaza Strip for the last 16 years, causing a perpetual shortage of essential drugs and medical devices and insufficient number of specialized health personnel.
PCHR condemned the obstruction of Gaza Strip Patients’ travel for treatment abroad, and calls on the international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention to exert pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities to assume their legal responsibilities towards the Gaza Strip population, including patients, and to ensure that adequate and safe mechanism is provided for their travel.
It called on the international community to pressure Israel to lift the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip in line with Security Council Resolution No. 1860 that calls for the unimpeded provision and distribution of humanitarian assistance throughout Gaza, including of food, fuel, and medical treatment which means allowing the entry of medical supplies used in radiotherapy, chemical drugs and periodic examinations for cancer patients that are not available in Gaza hospitals.
Since the beginning of this year, the number of patients denied travel for treatment abroad has risen to 6, including 3 children.
Dr. Taiseer was from Gaza. Source: The Palestinian Center For Human Rights (PCHR)
[1] Date obtained by PCHR’s fieldworkers from the Coordination and Liaison Department at the Ministry of Health
September 15, 2022: Odai Trad Hisham Salah, 17, was killed by Israeli soldiers in Kafr Dan village, west of the northern West Bank city of Jenin.
Eyewitnesses said the soldiers interrogated the families for several hours while ransacking their homes and abducted Amer Taha ‘Aabed, the cousin of Ahmad.
September 14, 2022: Abdul-Rahman Hani ‘Aabed, 22, was killed by Israeli soldiers during an exchange of gunfire near the village of Jalama, north of Jenin, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
September 14, 2022: Ahmad Ayman Ibrahim ‘Aabed, 23, was killed by Israeli soldiers during an exchange of gunfire near the village of Jalama, north of Jenin, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
September 11, 2022: Hamad Mustafa Hussein Abu Jilda, 24, died in a hospital in Jenin, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank, from serious wounds he suffered Tuesday, September 6, in Jenin, after Israeli soldiers shot and seriously injured him.
September 08, 2022: Haitham Hani Mubarak, 16, was shot and killed by Israeli soldiers near the main entrance of Beitin village, northeast of Ramallah, in the central West Bank.
September 07, 2022: Younis Ghassan Tayeh, 21, was killed by Israeli soldiers in the al-Far’a refugee camp, south of Tubas, in the northeastern part of the occupied West Bank.
September 06, 2022: Mohammad Mousa Mohammad Saba’na, 29, was shot in the chest and body by Israeli soldiers, resulting in his death. The killing took place during an Israeli military invasion into the eastern neighborhood of Jenin city, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.
September 05, 2022: Taher Mohmmad Zakarna, 20, was killed by Israeli soldiers who invaded Jenin city and Qabatia town south of Jenin, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank,
September 03, 2022: Mousa Haroun Abu Mahameed, 40, a Palestinian political prisoner held by Israel, died at the Assaf Harofeh Israeli medical center.
Mousa had a psychological condition and received treatment prior to being abducted, but was otherwise healthy, not suffering from any health condition or diseases.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) held Israel responsible for Abu Mahameed’s death, adding that Israel has escalated its violations against the Palestinian workers since the beginning of this year, not only by assaulting and abducting them, but also by opening fire at them at crossing points and military roadblocks.