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Cancer Patients Died After Israel Delayed Their Exit Permits

A boy (10) and a woman (37) died this week after Israel delayed their exit permits from Gaza for cancer treatment.

Photo By Activestills

A 10-year-old boy and a 37-year-old woman died this week after Israel delayed their exit permits from Gaza for cancer treatment. We previously raised concerns over the outcomes of Israel’s permit policies and tried to prevent these deaths. Last month, we once again demanded from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) to allow parents to accompany their children for medical care without delays. We also demanded long-term exit permits for cancer patients, hoping these measures may prevent further loss of life.

Fatma* was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer and referred for treatment at Ahli Hospital in Hebron in June, but her exit requests were initially ignored. Her application was finally approved, three months late, after Physicians for Human Rights Israel petitioned on her behalf. But it was too late, and Fatma died in the hospital.

Ahmad* suffered from sarcoma, a rare malignant tumor. For the last two years, Ahmad was being treated in hospitals in East Jerusalem and in Israel and was therefore regularly allowed to exit Gaza along with one of his parents. But in May, his father’s request to accompany him was unexpectedly denied, and Ahmad missed his hospital appointment. As with Fatma, his exit permit was only approved after we petitioned on his behalf. But the permit delays continued, and after several missed appointments, Ahmad died.

We recently warned COGAT that we would petition the High Court if the exit procedures for Gazan children seeking treatment are not amended. We demanded that parents be allowed to accompany their children and that their requests be processed without delay and in under ten days. In addition, we demanded three-month exit permits for cancer patients in the Gaza Strip and an immediate two-week permit until new procedures are approved. Furthermore, travel must not be limited to the hospital premises and cancer patients should be offered expedited passage at Erez crossing.

In the last two years, Israel has issued far fewer permits for parents to accompany their children for medical care. Israel’s refusal to allow parents to accompany their children leads to major delays in accessing treatment and endangers the children’s lives.

In many cases, the army ignores urgent medical permit requests, including requests submitted by human rights organizations. In other cases, it simply won’t bother reaching a decision in time, making it difficult for patients to object before it’s too late. Delaying response to a patient’s request to exit Gaza is a clear denial of medical treatment.

For cancer patients in desperate need of life-saving medical care, this conduct is devastating. Israel’s cruel permit policies violate the patients’ right to life and to health, including the rights of children.

*The names of the patients have been changed to protect their privacy.

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