12 May 2023
As of the morning of Friday 12 May, 31 Palestinians have been killed, including six children, and 93 injured in the context of Israel’s latest military assault on Gaza. Health services have been struggling to cope with the influx of injuries amid chronic shortages of essential medicines and supplies, as a result of 16 years of illegal closure and blockade.
In addition to casualties caused by this latest bombardment, Israel has endangered Palestinians’ health by closing the Erez crossing into Israel for the fourth day in a row. This has prevented 432 patients – mostly cancer patients – and their companions from leaving Gaza to receive treatment in hospitals in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Israel. Twenty-seven of the patients are in need of life-saving treatment.
Thirteen-year-old Fares* is one of those hundreds of Palestinians being denied access to treatment. In 2021, Fares was diagnosed with congenital scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine that occurs due to the failure of normal vertebral development. Doctors in Gaza told Fares’ mother, Diala*, that Fares needs surgery to correct his spine and this needs to be conducted at the Makassed Hospital, in occupied East Jerusalem. Patients referred to hospitals outside Gaza need to apply to the Israeli authorities for a permit. When Fares received his referral, Diala spent two years applying for a permit, unsuccessfully.
A few months ago, she sought support from Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights to advocate on their behalf with the Israeli authorities. Yehya Mohareb, the lawyer from Al Mezan who is helping Diala, explains the challenges they faced:
“I did my best to intervene in this case. I did a lot of work and put a lot of pressure on the Israeli coordination authorities to get Diala and her son a permit so he can make it to Al Makassed Hospital. Fares’ permit was delayed twice, in June and in November 2022, and the family never received an approval nor clear rejection, but he missed all of his medical appointments.”
Eventually, following Al Mezan’s intervention, Fares was approved a permit, and his medical appointment was set for 10 May. But Israel’s closure of the Erez crossing, amid Israel’s assault on Gaza, has prevented Fares from travelling for his treatment.
“You have no idea how painful it is for a mum to see her child in this situation. Especially knowing that it can be treated, but because he is in Gaza, under Israel’s blockade, it is impossible.”
“I felt hopeless every time his [Fares’] permit got rejected,” said Diala. “When it finally got approved, I was overjoyed. But the joy did not last. When we learned Erez was closed, I can’t tell you how I felt. How can I explain this to my son?”
“The amount of paperwork and bureaucratic steps a patient and his family must undergo to get treatment outside Gaza is overwhelming and frustrating. It is painful to learn that Fares suffers from congenital scoliosis and he has no treatment options in Gaza. It is really impacting his growth and appearance. I feel sad when I see how other kids are growing up in his class, but Fares is not. His classmates and other kids make fun of his appearance of his distorted spine. You have no idea how painful it is for a mum to see her child in this situation. Especially knowing that it can be treated, but because he is in Gaza, under Israel’s blockade, it is impossible,” said Diala.
“Fares is always angry at me, saying I am the reason he is not getting his surgery done. He is always on YouTube watching how his spine surgery is done, wishing he can get operated on. Fares even once told me: “If I continue looking like this, I’d rather die.” My only wish is to see Fares like other kids his age.”
As an occupying power, Israel is obligated to ensure unimpeded access for wounded and sick individuals to healthcare under Articles 17, 27 and 38 of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Collective punishment is expressly prohibited under Article 33.
Alongside MAP’s emergency response in Gaza, we are calling on the UK government to take immediate and urgent action at the highest political levels to protect civilians and healthcare in Gaza, and ensure unimpeded humanitarian access for patients like Fares to access the treatment they need.
Support MAP’s emergency response in Gaza by donating today.
*Names changed to protect the identities of those involved.
Photo credit: Ali Jadallah.
