JERUSALEM, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Humanitarian aid organizations said the economic situation in the Gaza Strip is causing grave health concerns for many of its residents.
The U.N. Integrated Regional Information Network quoted John Holmes, the U.N. undersecretary-general for Humanitarian Affairs, as saying, “The economic noose continues to tighten around the necks of the people of Gaza, who are being manifestly punished as part of a political strategy.”
IRIN mentioned that several citizens of Gaza said they are unable to afford medical treatment.
“I missed my chanced to leave for (treatment because of) a lack of money,” a man scheduled for open heart surgery said.
A spokesman with the Israeli Civil Administration in Gaza, Shadi Yassin, said that “access to healthcare services is a fundamental right of all persons” but said the situation in Gaza became worse due to the Hamas takeover there.
Israeli Physicians for Human Rights said it assisted 138 patients in Gaza and managed to get exit permits issued for more than 50 of them. The International Committee of the Red Cross noted the number of patients gaining entrance into Israel is up from former weeks.
Human Rights Watch, however, said, “At least three patients denied exit permits have died since June and others have lost limbs or sight.”
