Ramallah: Israeli occupation authorities have denied a five-year-old cancer-stricken child from the Gaza Strip, currently residing in Ramallah, the opportunity to receive critical treatment at an Israeli hospital, citing the child's registered address in Gaza as the reason for the refusal.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency - WAFA, an Israeli organization representing the child's family has filed a petition with the Israeli court in Jerusalem. The petition claims that the authorities' decision is a blatant violation of international and local laws concerning human rights and healthcare. The organization pointed out that the family relocated to Ramallah in 2022 to access medical treatments that are no longer effective, and now the child urgently requires a bone marrow transplant, a procedure not available in the West Bank or Gaza.
The lawyers for the organization highlighted that by preventing the child from accessing life-saving treatment, Israeli authorities are disregarding their obligations under international humanitarian and human rights laws, as well as Israeli law itself. In response, Israeli officials suggested that the family could attempt to transfer the child to a third country via the Karameh crossing for treatment or seek aid from international organizations for medical evacuation from Gaza.
The child's mother reported that her son's condition is deteriorating rapidly, leading to a severely weakened immune system and inability to walk. She stressed that a hospital is prepared to admit him immediately upon arrival. The mother also criticized the Israeli government's policy, which only permits patients to leave for third countries, arguing that it does not release Israel from its responsibility to provide medical care to Palestinian civilians.
It is noteworthy that last month, five human rights organizations submitted petitions to the Supreme Court, demanding that Israel resume the evacuation of patients from Gaza to hospitals in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, a procedure that had been in place before October 7. The petition underscored that around 16,500 individuals in Gaza, predominantly children, women, and the elderly, face life-threatening situations due to the disruption of medical care, urging Israel to uphold its responsibility to safeguard lives and avert further fatalities.