An Israeli nonprofit organization, Physicians for Human Rights Israel, is set to petition Israel’s Supreme Court to halt the Israeli government's plan to send Palestinian patients back to Gaza from East Jerusalem hospitals. The organization argues that returning residents to Gaza during a military conflict and humanitarian crisis violates international law and endangers innocent lives, especially patients facing critical health conditions.
According to hospital officials, around two dozen Palestinian patients, including newborn babies, cancer patients in remission, and their companions, were granted access to Israeli hospitals before October 7. The patients and their companions were scheduled to be transported to Gaza early Thursday morning, but the removal has been delayed twice for unknown reasons.
Concerns have been raised about the conditions in Gaza, with fears of inadequate medical care, insanitary conditions, and hunger posing significant risks to the patients' well-being. Some mothers expressed mixed emotions about returning to Gaza, citing concerns about potential military conflicts and the safety of their newborns.
Dr. Fadi Atrash, CEO of Augusta Victoria Hospital treating Gazan cancer patients, resisted Israeli government demands to provide a list of patients no longer needing in-patient treatment. COGAT, the agency coordinating the return, stated that Palestinians not requiring further medical care would be sent back to Gaza, with arrangements made for those needing additional treatment.
The situation highlights the complex challenges faced by Palestinian patients seeking medical treatment in Israeli hospitals amid ongoing conflicts and humanitarian crises. The legal petition to the Supreme Court underscores the critical need to protect the rights and well-being of vulnerable individuals caught in the midst of political tensions and health emergencies.
