Disabled in Gaza: We have a right to treatment

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Elderly, sick and disabled Palestinians living in the besieged Gaza Strip protested at the Beit Hanoun (Erez) border crossing to demand the sector be saved from imminent disaster.

The protesters stressed that patients who are in urgent need of access to medical treatment face great difficulties in obtaining permits from the occupation and this is to the detriment of their health. For some, the inability to travel leads their medical health to deteriorate and for some it has led to death.

Human rights groups and the international community must work together to relieve the suffering of the sick in Gaza and force Israel to afford them their right to a decent life, protesters said.

Carrying banners which read, “Where is my right to a decent life?” and “We need to travel for treatment so end the siege”, scores of people gathered at the border crossing. They urged for people to show their support for Palestinians in Gaza by using the hashtag #Save_Gaza in both English and Arabic.

The 11-year long siege on the Gaza Strip by Israel is a crime against humanity, protesters said.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Israeli authorities delayed or denied two out of every five patients in the Gaza Strip’s access to medical care outside of the besieged coastal enclave in July.

This week, the Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced the suspension of operations in 16 hospitals and healthcare centres across the Gaza Strip due to the sever lack of electricity and fuel as a result of the siege.

Read: The Israeli-led siege is devastating Gaza’s health sector

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]

Palestinians, in particular the elderly, sick and disabled, come together to call for international efforts to save Gaza from the humanitarian crisis [Mohammed Asad/Middle East Monitor]