Ref: 6 (July 29, 2016)
Summary: June 2016
Erez crossing
3 in 10 patients denied or delayed Gaza exit: Of 2,105 applications for permits submitted by patients to exit Gaza through Erez checkpoint for hospital appointments in June, 69.31% were approved. 209 patients (9.93%) were denied, including 6 children and 10 elderly persons over 60 years. 437 patients (20.76%) received no response to their applications, including 135 children and 45 elderly people over 60 (Palestinian District Liaison office in Gaza).
Security interrogations: 39 patients, among them 12 females, were requested for General Security Services interviews at Erez during June. Two were approved permits. (page 6)
Companions hindered from obtaining permits: Approval rate for patient companions’ permit applications was 58%, a slight increase after women aged 46 to 55 were exempted from extra security procedures. (page 5)
Infant’s father returning to Gaza arrested at Erez. (page 7)
One-third of humanitarian health workers denied access through Erez. (page 8)
Rafah exit
- Border open briefly during June: According to Palestinian officials at Rafah terminal, the Rafah border terminal was open for 6 days during the month allowing 377 people to travel for health reasons to Egypt including 30 patients transferred by ambulance. No medical delegates or medical aid entered Gaza through Egypt during the month.
Ministry of Health referrals in May
- The Ministry of Health referred 1,883 patients in June to outside care with an estimated cost of NIS 9,738,936. Referrals to Gaza non-MoH facilities sharply declined in the last 3 months. The top 5 needed procedures for Gaza patients were in oncology, hematology, paediatrics, orthopaedics, and ophthalmology.