|
Dr. Marwan al-Za'eem,
Director of Public Relations in the Palestinian Ministry of
Health confirmed that several Arab countries sent medical
assistance to the PA since the eruption of the al-Aqsa
Uprising. He told the PHRMG that “we received medication
and medical equipment from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia,
Morocco, Emirates and Qatar”
He clarified that
those medications and equipment help hospitals in the PA's
areas to carry out their responsibilities, especially with
regards to serious injuries that occurred in the clashes
because of the Israeli gunfire and sophisticated weapons.
Planes that bring in
this medical assistance usually return with seriously
injured Palestinians on board, because they need special
medical care that local hospitals cannot offer, due to the
lack of facilities and equipment. Planes coming from Arab
States used to land in Gaza International Airport, but after
the decision of the Israeli government on October 7, 2000 to
close it, planes now land in al-Areesh Egyptian airport
(south of the Gaza Strip) and trucks transport the cargo
into Gaza.
Dr. al-Za'eem added:
“Of course, Israel delays the entrance of the medical
assistance on the border, which in turn delays the arrival
of the medications to hospitals, and this delay could expose
the lives of the seriously wounded Palestinian youths to
death”. He explained: “The Ministry of Health doesn't
suffer lack of medications or professional staff, on the
contrary, it has a reserve of medication sufficient for
three months, according to the plan prepared by the
Ministry”. But he pointed out that: “The toll of people
being killed and injured by the Israeli army is huge, which
threatens to use up the precautionary medications of the
Ministry. Nevertheless, Arab assistance is very much
appreciated and would help pass this critical time”.
Attached you will find
a table of planes carrying medical assistance that are
expected to arrive in the next days at Gaza International
Airport.
The PHRMG calls upon
the Israeli authorities to respect its humanitarian duties
and to permit aircraft carrying medical assistance to land
in Gaza International Airport. Furthermore, we call upon the
international community to continue its pressures on the
State of Israel to ensure that international humanitarian
law be respected throughout the Occupied Palestinian
territories.
For further
information, please contact Mr. Bassem Eid, director of the
PHRMG.
|
