Ref: 5/2022

Date: 17 January 2022

Time: 10:14 GMT

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is deeply concerned over the ongoing the suffering of Gaza Strip’s Patients referred for treatment in the hospitals of the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem as these hospitals refused to receive several patients or demanded them to leave before completing their treatment despite their deteriorating health conditions.  The hospitals attribute this to the Ministry of Health’s non-payment of its accumulating financial commitments, stressing that they informed MOH of not being able to receive new patients before the Ministry pays off the financial dues.  Meanwhile, MOH continues to refer the Gaza Strip’s patients to these hospitals although it was informed of the latter’s incapability to receive them due to the accumulating financial dues.

According to PCHR’s follow-up, Salim al-Nawati (16), a Leukemia patient, died on 09 January 2022, after several hospitals in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem refused to receive him for treatment despite his deteriorating health condition.  Jamal al-Nawati, the patient’s uncle, said to PCHR’s fieldworker that the Head of the Treatment Referrals Department at An-Najah Hospital refused to receive Salim due to the accumulating debts owned by MOH al Despite the recommendation of one of the hospital doctors to admit him for treatment and follow-up due to his deteriorating condition.  Al-Nawati added that the Treatment Abroad Office then contacted Augusta Victoria Hospital (al-Mutala’) and Makassed Islamic Charitable Society Hospital as well as Palestine Medical Complex but refused to receive Salim and provide him treatment.  He said that afterwards, he headed to MOH office and filed a complaint, so they referred him to the Israeli Ichilov Hospital; however, he was informed that the hospital would be ready to receive Salim on 23 January 2022, requiring new coordination procedures to be able to access the hospital.  Meanwhile, Salim’s health condition worsened and was urgently referred by ambulance to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah on 09 January 2022, but he died 15 minutes after his admission to the Emergency Room at the Hospital.

N. H. (19), a patient who suffers cancerous tumor in the right knee, said to PCHR’s fieldworker that he obtained a medical referral for treatment at Makassed Hospital in occupied Jerusalem after he waited for a month to obtain a travel permit from the Israeli occupation authorities.  The patient was able to travel on 12 January 2022, and after medical examination, doctors discovered that cancer spread in other parts of his body and

asked him to return to the Gaza Strip and obtain another medical referral to continue his treatment at al-Mutala’ Hospital in Jerusalem.  The patient appealed all the relevant authorities to intervene and save his life, emphasizing that his health condition does not allow him to go back to Gaza and obtain a new travel permit for treatment.  He demanded his immediate referral to al-Mutala’ Hospital as he is already in Jerusalem.  Few days later, his request was met, and he was referred to al-Mutala’ Hospital on 16 January 2022.

Hereby, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights expresses its grave concern over West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem’s hospitals decision not to receive patients referred for treatment from the Gaza Strip, which is motivated by the MOH’s accumulated debt. PCHR warns that shall this crisis persist, the lives of hundreds of Palestinian patients in critical conditions will be threatened, and it will only add to their suffering as they go through great difficulties to acquire travel permits from the Israeli authorities to exit Gaza via Beit Hanoun crossing “Erez,” and are refused medical treatment upon arrival to hospital. These patients are asked to return back to Gaza and restart new applications for a new medical referral, which includes scheduling a new appointment at the hospital, requesting an exit permit from the Israeli authorities to allow them to leave the Gaza Strip. This process takes multiple weeks.

In light of the above, PCHR identified a significant malfunction in the exciting referral system for travel abroad and requires a comprehensive revision and modification. All obstacles denying patients access to treatment at their designated hospitals must be eliminated; also, optimal medical care must be ensured delivery to patients with critical and difficult diseases, the treatment for which is unavailable in the Gaza strip hospitals.

Additionally, PCHR demands the MOH to settle its financial debt with Palestinian hospitals in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, to ensure uninterrupted delivery of services for patients.

PCHR also demands MOH to publish the results of its investigation into the negligence that caused the death of Salim al-Nawati last week, and to declare the steps taken to ensure such an unfortunate incident is not repeated.

Nevertheless, PCHR does not accept any justifications provided by Palestinian hospitals to refuse to receive patients in critical conditions, particularly after these patients have overcome all the Israeli obstacles preventing them access to hospitals.