Israel has stopped six medical NGOs from going into Gaza‚ the World Health Organization (WHO) said yesterday. The WHO didnt get any reason for this decision which Israel told them about in the last two weeks.
Two of these groups Glia and the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) said the WHO told them about the ban this week. Both have worked in Gaza for many years before the war.
The WHO is worried about how this will affect Gazas weak healthcare system. Only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza are still working and theres not enough healthcare for everyone who needs it.
Israel lets only a few aid workers into Gaza through the Kerem Shalom crossing and hasnt let journalists go in freely during the year-long war. Since taking over the Rafah crossing to Egypt in May Israel controls who goes in and out of Gaza. Palestinians cant leave except for some rare medical cases.
Health-care workers are some of the only international observers that have witnessed acts that amount to war crimes in Gaza
Even though hospitals should be safe under international law‚ they have been hit many times in Israeli attacks. Aid groups say airstrikes have hit hospitals medical teams have been shot at‚ health workers have been killed‚ and medical shelters had to leave. Israel says its targeting Hamas fighters hiding in medical centers but health workers say this isnt true.
Before this Israel only stopped some people from going in‚ not whole groups. In July (about 3 months ago) CNN said Israel was stopping doctors with Palestinian backgrounds from going into Gaza as part of medical teams.
Majdi Hamarshi who leads PAMA said the bans are “very unfortunate“. His group has worked in Gaza for 10 years helping kids with hearing or seeing problems training local doctors and giving scholarships to medical students.
Israel has also stopped basic medicines and medical supplies from going into Gaza. The Washington Post said in April that things like crutches anesthetics and field hospital boxes were stopped at least once from going in