WASHINGTON, DC (WAFA) – Over 60 members of the US Congress on Thursday pressed Israel to allow Palestinian cancer patients out of the Gaza Strip for treatment in hospitals in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.
The letter was sent to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and led by Representative James McGovern and Senators Ed Markey and Chris Van Hollen.
The letter called on the US and its regional partners to “urge the Israeli government to reestablish a medical pathway for cancer patients in Gaza to receive life-saving treatment in East Jerusalem and the West Bank” and “ensure that Palestinians are able to rebuild and protect hospitals and medical infrastructure in Gaza.”
According to the letter, over 18,500 Palestinians require urgent medical care that is currently unavailable in Gaza, approximately 11,000 of whom are cancer patients.
The signatory lawmakers noted that the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system has left many patients without access to chemotherapy, radiation treatment, surgery and other specialised care.
The letter urged the US Administration to “engage the Governments of Qatar, Egypt, and Türkiye in a coordinated diplomatic effort to secure medical evacuations for every pediatric cancer patient and their caregivers in Gaza to Augusta Victoria Hospital and other appropriate medical facilities in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.”
It called for “assurances from the Israeli government that all patients and caregivers who are evacuated from Gaza will be permitted to return to Gaza when they are able.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 94 percent of Gaza’s hospitals have been damaged or destroyed, severely limiting treatment options for patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases.
The signatory lawmakers also stressed the need to rebuild and protect hospitals and medical infrastructure in Gaza.
The signatories noted that urgent international action is needed to prevent further loss of life among patients waiting for medical referrals and evacuation approvals.
K.F.
