Israel prevents Hamas members, relatives from travelling for treatment

Israel yesterday decided to prevent Hamas members and their relatives from leaving the besieged Gaza Strip for treatment, Safa News Agency reported.

The decision came in response to the Israeli High Court’s petition submitted by the family of the Israeli soldier Hadar Goldin who was captured as a prisoner of war during Israel’s ground invasion of Gaza in 2014.

Principally, Israel prevents Hamas members from entering Israel for any reasons. It has allowed only few cases of their relatives who were in critical conditions.

According to the Israeli news website Ynet News, the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Occupied Territories has been tasked with implementing the new ban based on information provided by the Israeli security services.

Goldin’s family welcomed the ban, expressing hope that this would contribute to returning the soldiers missing in Gaza.

Ynet News said the soldier’s family had also called for restrictions of the visitation rights of Hamas prisoners held in Israeli jails.

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