GAZA, (The Palestine Foundation Pakistan)
Israeli occupation authorities barred American doctor Feroze Sidhwa from entering the Gaza Strip a week ago, despite having received prior approval from the Israeli military and participating in two previous medical missions in Gaza, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz published on Friday.
Dr. Sidhwa, a surgeon specializing in abdominal trauma rehabilitation, was preparing to enter Gaza to help save thousands of patients in urgent need of surgical intervention. However, upon arriving in Jordan about ten days ago, Israeli authorities informed him that his entry was denied, without offering any explanation. He has since remained stranded in Jordan, awaiting a response.
According to the Haaretz report, no official reasons were given by the relevant authorities for the ban, despite the dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
This decision follows a series of similar moves by the Israeli authorities. In early November, Israel denied entry to a group of American doctors attempting to reach the West Bank, despite receiving prior coordination through the Israeli Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) system.
Human rights reports indicate that Israel continues to restrict access for incoming medical professionals and international medical teams, preventing them from reaching patients and the wounded in Gaza and the West Bank. These ongoing repressive policies are worsening the humanitarian crisis and obstructing the delivery of essential medical care to Palestinians.
