Gaza

Nayef Al-Aweidat

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January 26, 2023: Nayef Al-Aweidat, 13, died from serious wounds sustained last year during the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip.

Medical sources said the child, a resident of the Nusseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip, sustained wounds during the Israeli bombing that targeted the Al-Hasayna neighborhood in the camp.

During the three-day aerial bombardment of Gaza in August 2022, Israeli bombs killed at least 47 people—including 16 children—and injured over 300. Over 650 homes were destroyed – and many Palestinians in Gaza are unable to rebuild homes destroyed in Israeli bombings because Israel has banned the import of building materials into the besieged coastal Strip.

Here is an eyewitness account of that three-day assault on Gaza.

Among those killed in the three-day-long Israeli bombardment was Ala’ Abdullah Qaddoum, 5, killed by a missile dropped on her home by the Israeli military. She was one of eleven Palestinians killed in a barrage of Israeli missiles fired into Gaza in the middle of the afternoon on August 5th.

Dozens of airstrikes were carried out by Israeli forces in the span of a few minutes in different parts of the Gaza Strip. In addition to the 11 killed, at least 55 Palestinians were wounded and taken to local hospitals for treatment of moderate to severe wounds.

The airstrikes were apparently attempting to target certain Palestinian resistance leaders – but most of those killed in the airstrikes were civilians.

Nayef was from the Nusseirat camp in the central Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC

Saed Mousa Al-Qatanani

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January 04, 2023: Saed Mousa Al-Qatanani, 37, died from serious wounds he suffered two days earlier in an accidental shooting in the Gaza Strip.

Saed died from serious wounds he suffered two days earlier in an accidental shooting. Two of his brothers were assassinated by the army in 2012 and 2009.

The Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, Saed was one of its senior fighters from Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.

The Brigades added that Saed died on Wednesday evening and added that the fighter was one of its senior members who participated in countering Israeli soldiers invading Gaza in previous Israeli offensives.

The Brigades added that its fighters will never abandon the path of resistance until liberation and independence.

“Our fighters will remain committed to the struggle for liberation,” the Al-Quds Brigades said, “Our weapons will always have just one target, the illegal Israel occupation.”

Saed is the brother of Fadi Mousa Qatanani, who was assassinated by the Israeli army on November 21, 2012, after an Israeli war jet fired a missile at his home, and Ali Mousa Qatanani, who was assassinated by the Israeli army on April 1, 2009.

Mahmoud Mohammed Al-Kurd

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December 16, 2022: Mahmoud Mohammed Al-Kurd, 45, died of cancer after having been denied entry to Jerusalem for lifesaving medical treatment.

The Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights reported that the discriminatory movement restrictions and the arbitrary permit regime imposed by Israeli authorities on Palestinian patients from Gaza, which obstruct their access to hospitals outside the Strip, claimed the life of Mahmoud.

The most recent case of permit delay led to the death of Mahmoud Mohammed Al-Kurd, a 45-year-old cancer patient from Deir al-Balah City, on 16 December 2022, after being repeatedly denied access to the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.

Al-Kurd suffered from lung cancer. Despite obtaining a medical referral from the Palestinian Ministry of Health and securing appointments at the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem, Israeli authorities denied him the requisite exit permit to travel for four different appointments. The last appointment to which access was denied for Al-Kurd was scheduled for 29 November 2022.

As Al-Kurd’s legal representative, Al Mezan communicated with the Israeli Coordination and Liaison Administration (CLA) at Erez Crossing to grant him a permit, but to no avail. We then filed a preliminary petition to the Israeli Prosecutor’s Office in Beersheba to facilitate the patient’s access to the hospital, but the Prosecutor’s Office responded that they would allow him to pass through Jordan, although his appointment was in Jerusalem. At that point, Al Mezan, together with Physicians for Human Rights – Israel (PHRI), took the case to the Israeli Supreme Court, which approved the patient’s access to the hospital through the Erez crossing.

On 15 December 2022, the patient received a new hospital appointment at Augusta Victoria Hospital and accessed the hospital successfully. However, he arrived in Jerusalem in extremely poor health conditions and was pronounced dead the next day, at 10:30 pm on Friday, 16 December 2022.

Al Mezan’s documentation shows that since the beginning of 2022, nine patients—including three children—have died following Israel’s delay or denial of requests for exit permits.

We reiterate that Israel’s draconian, stifling closure of Gaza serves to deny inhabitants their fundamental right to health, and other inalienable rights, as part of an entrenched system of oppression, domination, and discrimination against the Palestinian people.

Al Mezan’s decades of experience in representing patients indicates that Israel’s denials or permit delays are not based on valid reasons but rather are part of the collective punishment and apartheid regime to which it subjects more than two million Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Al Mezan calls on the international community—in particular, the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Geneva Conventions—to uphold their moral and legal obligations vis-à-vis the protected Palestinian people and to ensure Israel complies with its obligations under international law, ends the closure and blockade on the Gaza Strip, and stops its ongoing restrictions of Palestinian patients’ access to medical care outside the Gaza Strip.

Lastly, Al Mezan reiterates that the continued impunity provided to the Israeli forces encourages the repetition of crimes and violations against the Palestinian people.

Mahmoud was from Deir al-Balah City in Gaza. Source: Al-Mezan

Nabil Shallah

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December 09, 2022: Nabil Shallah, 59, died from serious wounds he suffered in August 2022 during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip.

Media sources said Nabil Shallah, 59, from the Sheja’eyya neighborhood east of Gaza city, has died from his wounds at a hospital in Gaza.

The Palestinian man suffered life-threatening wounds when the Israeli army fired missiles at homes and buildings near Abu Samra Mosque in the Sheja’eyya neighborhood.

The Israeli offensive on Gaza started with the assassination of Taiseer Mohammad al-Ja’bari, 50, a senior leader of the Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, when the Israeli air force fired missiles at Burj Falasteen (Palestine Tower) in the center of Gaza City, on August 5th, killing many civilians in the apartment building and wounding dozens.

The Palestine Tower has thirteen floors and many government offices and media centers. The bombing also caused damage to many surrounding buildings, stores, and commercial facilities.

The three-day offensive on Gaza led to the death of 49 Palestinians, including fifteen children and four women, and caused 360 injuries, including 151 children and 58 women; many of the injured suffered life-threatening wounds.

Nabil was from the Sheja’eyya neighborhood east of Gaza city. Source: IMEMC

Akram Ahmad Al-Sultan

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October 17, 2022: Akram Ahmad Mohammad Al-Sultan, 62, died after the Israeli authorities denied travel for treatment at Al-Muttala’ (Augusta Victoria) Hospital in occupied Jerusalem, in the West Bank.

Hazem Akram Al-Sultan, 38, said that his father had sustained a fracture in the eleventh thoracic vertebra (T11) in June 2022.

After conducting many examinations, it turned out that he had leukemia, and the doctors decided to refer him to Al-Muttala’ (Augusta Victoria) Hospital in occupied Jerusalem due to his bad health condition and urgent need for radiotherapy that is not available at the Gaza Strip’s hospitals.

On 18 July 2022, the patient applied for a permit to the Israeli authorities to travel for treatment at Al-Muttala’ Hospital, but on 08 August 2022, the Israeli authorities responded that his request was still “under study”.

The patient had to obtain a new appointment on 13 August 2022, and applied for another permit, but the Israeli authorities put his request under study again. The patient repeated the same procedures to obtain a new appointment on 30 September 2022.

On 06 October 2022, he received a text message to go to Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing for an interview with the Israeli intelligence, so in the same morning he went there.  After waiting for 3 hours, he was asked to return to the Gaza Strip without conducting the interview.

On 17 October 2022, his health condition got worse, and he was referred to the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza Strip, where he was pronounced dead.

According to PCHR’s follow-up, so far this year, the Israeli authorities have obstructed the travel of 5,472 patients with serious diseases that lack treatment at the Strip’s hospitals.

These restrictions coincide with the deterioration of the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli-imposed closure on the Strip for the last 16 years, causing a perpetual shortage of essential drugs and medical devices and insufficient number of specialized health personnel.

PCHR condemns 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 to receive treatment abroad.

PCHR urges 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, meaning allowing the entry of medical supplies used in radiotherapy, chemical drugs and periodic examinations for cancer patients that are not available in Gaza hospitals.

The Palestinian Center For Human Rights – PCHR, said Akram is eight Palestinian patient from Gaza, including three children, to die due to Israeli restrictions since the beginning of this year.

Akram was from the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: The Palestinian Center For Human Rights – PCHR

 

Tayseer Daoud Yousuf Al-Sayegh

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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

Farouq Mohammad Abu Naja

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August 28, 2022: Farouq Mohammad Abu Naja, 6, died after Israeli denied his travel for medical treatment at the Hadassah Ein Karem Israeli Medical Center in Jerusalem, in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) condemned the Israeli continuous obstacles to the travel of Gaza Strip’s patients, denying them access to the Palestinian hospitals in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and Israeli hospitals for receiving or resuming their medical treatment.

The PCHR added that these obstacles have aggravated the suffering of thousands of patients and resulted in the death of 4 patients; the last one was Farouq whose travel permit for treatment at Hadassah hospital in the occupied Jerusalem, was denied.

Suleiman Ahmad Abu Naja, 56, the deceased child’s grandfather, from Yabna refugee camp in Rafah, said that his grandson was denied travel for treatment at Hadassah- ‘Ein Karem Hospital as he suffers from cerebral atrophy.

Abu Naja added that his grandson received a medical referral for treatment on 12 January 2022 at Hadassah ‘Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem; the referral is funded by the Christian Aid Ministries.

He applied to have a travel permit from the Israeli occupation authorities; however, the latter replied that his request is still under study.  Thus, the child could not travel for treatment on the given appointment.

Abu Naja said that they obtained another appointment on 10 August 2022 and then re-applied for the travel permit, but the Israeli authorities kept replying that the request is “under study”. While waiting for the Israeli approval, the child’s health deteriorated until he died at the European Gaza Hospital on Wednesday evening, 24 August 2022.

According to the Health Department of the General Authority for Civil Affairs (GACA) statistics, since the beginning of this year, the Israeli authorities have obstructed the travel of 4,169 patients from the Gaza strip for treatment abroad since.  Most of these patients suffer serious diseases that lack treatment at the Strip’s hospitals.

The Israeli occupation army invokes various reasons and excuses to prevent Gaza patients from traveling for treatment; including requests under study, summoning patients for a security interview, requests denied for having a relative illegally residing in the West Bank or Israel, and the treatment available in Gaza hospitals.

These restrictions come with the deterioration of the healthcare system in the Gaza Strip triggered by the Israeli-imposed closure for 16 years, as the Gaza Strip hospitals suffer from acute shortage of essential drugs and medical devices and insufficient number of specialized health professionals; rendering the hospitals unable to treat many serious diseases and so raising the number of patients referred for treatment abroad during the past years.

In light of the above, PCHR calls on the international community, including the High Contracting Parties to the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, and the UN bodies and international organizations to exert pressure on the occupation to assume their legal responsibilities towards the residents of the Gaza Strip, including patients, and to ensure an appropriate and safe mechanism is provided for their travel.

PCHR calls on the international community to pressure Israel to lift the closure imposed on the Gaza Strip in line with Security Council Resolution No. 1860, and to import the medical supplies used in radiotherapy, chemical drugs and periodic examinations for cancer patients that are not available in Gaza hospitals.

Farouq was from Yabna refugee camp in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: The Palestinian Center For Human Rights (PCHR):

Anas Khaled Anshasi

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August 12, 2022: Anas Khaled Anshasi, 22, died from serious wounds he suffered during the Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip. (Alternate spelling Anshassi)

The Nasser Medical Center in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, has reported that Anas died in the Intensive Care Unit from his serious wounds despite all efforts to save his life.

They added that the young man was seriously injured when an Israeli army drone fired missiles at several Palestinians east of Khan Younis.

The Health Ministry in Gaza said Anshasi’s death brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli missiles and shells during the three-day offensive (August 5, 6, and 7) on Gaza to 49, including one elder, three women, and sixteen children. The number of wounded Palestinians is 360, including 19 elders, 58 women, and 151 children.

A day earlier, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a child, Layan Musleh Sha’er, 10, died from serious wounds she suffered during Israel’s recent onslaught on the Gaza Strip.

Furthermore, the Health Ministry in Gaza said Ibrahim Shehda Abu Salah, 41, died from serious wounds he suffered last Saturday, during the Israeli bombardment of Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

The Health Ministry confirmed that a child died from serious wounds she suffered on August 6th after the Israeli army bombarded the Um an-Nasr village in Beit Hanoun.

It stated that the child, Hanin Abu Qayda, 10, was seriously injured when the Israeli army fired missiles at a civilian car, killing her grandmother, Na’ama Mohammad Abu Qayda, 62, and wounding seven family members.

The Palestinian Housing Ministry in Gaza said the Israeli bombing of residential towers and homes in Gaza has led to the destruction of 18 units, in addition to partially damaging 71 units and rendering them unsafe, and 1675 units that sustained partial damage but remained structurally sound.

In the West Bank, medical sources have reported that Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian child, Mo’men Yassin Jaber, 16, with an expanding bullet and seriously injured another Palestinian, in Hebron city, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.

Also, Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians, Ibrahim Nabulsi, 30, Islam Sbouh, 22, and Hussein Jamal Taha, 16, in Nablus, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

Anas was from Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC

Layan Musleh Sha’er

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August 11, 2022: Layan Musleh Sha’er, 10, died from serious wounds she suffered during Israel’s recent onslaught on the Gaza Strip.

The al-Makassed Hospital in occupied Jerusalem, in the West Bank, said the child was admitted after being transferred from Gaza, suffering a shrapnel wound to the head, causing significant damage to her brain.

Layan was clinically dead upon arrival and remained hooked to a respiratory machine after the surgeons tried to save her life until she succumbed to her serious wounds.

She was a school student and a member of a Palestinian folklore dance team (Dabke); the last time the slain child and her Dabke team performed was last month at the Nuwwar Education Center in Gaza.

Her death brings the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli missiles and shells during the three-day offensive (August 5, 6, and 7) on Gaza to 48, including one elder, three women, and sixteen children. The number of wounded Palestinians is 360, including 19 elders, 58 women, and 151 children.

On Tuesday, August 8, the Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza said Ibrahim Shehda Abu Salah, 41, died from serious wounds he suffered last Saturday, during the Israeli bombardment of Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

On Monday, the Health Ministry confirmed that a child died from serious wounds she suffered on August 6th, after the Israeli army bombarded the Um an-Nasr village in Beit Hanoun.

It said the child, Hanin Abu Qayda, 10, was seriously injured when the Israeli army fired missiles at a civilian car, killing her grandmother, Na’ama Mohammad Abu Qayda, 62, and wounding seven family members.

Their deaths bring the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli missiles and shells during the three-day offensive on Gaza (Friday-Saturday-Sunday – August 5, 6 and 7) to 47 Palestinians, including one elder, three women, and fifteen children. The number of wounded Palestinians is 360, including 19 elders, 58 women, and 151 children.

The Palestinian Housing Ministry in Gaza said the Israeli bombing of residential towers and homes in Gaza has led to the destruction of 18 units, in addition to partially damaging 71 units and rendering them unsafe, and 1675 units that sustained partial damage but remained structurally sound.

In the West Bank, medical sources have reported that Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian child, Mo’men Yassin Jaber, 16, with an expanding bullet and seriously injured another Palestinian, in Hebron city, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.

On Tuesday dawn, Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians, Ibrahim Nabulsi, 30, Islam Sbouh, 22, and Hussein Jamal Taha, 16, in Nablus, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

Layan was from Khan Younis in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC

Ibrahim Shehda Abu Salah

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August 09, 2022: Ibrahim Shehda Abu Salah, 41, died from serious wounds he suffered several days earlier, during the Israeli bombardment of Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said Ibrahim was seriously injured when the army fired missiles and shells at homes and buildings in Beit Hanoun, killing many Palestinians and wounding dozens.

He was seriously injured Saturday, the second day of the three-day Israeli onslaught on the Palestinians in the impoverished Gaza Strip.

On Monday, the Health Ministry confirmed that a child died from serious wounds she suffered on August 6th, after the Israeli army bombarded the Um an-Nasr village in Beit Hanoun.

The Health Ministry said the child, Hanin Abu Qayda, 10, was seriously injured when the Israeli army fired missiles at a civilian car, killing her grandmother, Na’ama Mohammad Abu Qayda, 62, and wounding seven family members.

Their deaths bring the number of Palestinians killed by Israeli missiles and shells during the three-day offensive on Gaza (Friday-Saturday-Sunday) to 47 Palestinians, including one elder, three women, and fifteen children. The number of wounded Palestinians is 360, including 19 elders, 58 women, and 151 children.

The Palestinian Housing Ministry in Gaza said the Israeli bombing of residential towers and homes in Gaza has led to the destruction of 18 units, in addition to partially damaging 71 units and rendering them unsafe, and 1675 units that sustained partial damage but remained structurally sound.

In the West Bank, medical sources have reported that Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian child, Mo’men Yassin Jaber, 16, with an expanding bullet and seriously injured another Palestinian, in Hebron city, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.

Also, Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians, Ibrahim Nabulsi, 30, Islam Sbouh, 22, and Hussein Jamal Taha, 16, in Nablus, in the northern part of the occupied West Bank.

Ibrahim was from Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Source: IMEMC