Ramallah, 03-07-07: A Palestinian woman suffering from cancer died at the Rafah Crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt on Sunday following a severe deterioration in her health status after waiting for the crossing to open for 20 days, in what Palestinian National Initiative head, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi MP, said was yet one more tragic reminder of the ongoing, acute humanitarian crisis in the Strip.
Ma‘an News reported that Taghreed Muhammad ‘Aabed, aged 31 and a mother of 5, had traveled to Egypt for urgent medical treatment for cancer.
Israel has completely sealed off the Rafah Crossing since 15 June 2007. At least 6,000 Palestinians have been blocked at the Egyptian side of the crossing point waiting to be allowed to travel back to the Gaza Strip. A number of these Palestinians had traveled abroad through the crossing to undergo surgery and require special medical care that is lacking at the crossing point. They have been forced to stay in nearby Egyptian towns and many have run out of money.
In addition, thousands of Palestinian civilians living in the Gaza Strip, including at least 400 patients who need advanced medical treatment, have not been able to travel abroad.
Dr. Barghouthi called on the international community to respond to the plight of the Palestinians at Rafah by putting immediate pressure on the Israeli Government to open the crossing.
From 28 June 2006 to 29 May 2007, the Rafah Crossing was only open 44% of scheduled working days, and has only functioned 17% of scheduled working hours over this period.