Today, Wednesday, civil and human rights organizations in the Gaza Strip called on the Israeli occupation authorities to allow the entry of necessary supplies, medical devices and medicines to confront the new "Corona" virus.
This came in a speech by the Executive Director of the "Protection" Center for Human Rights, Omar Al-Qarout, on behalf of human and civil organizations, at a press conference in Gaza City. "The occupation authorities must assume their legal responsibilities towards supplying Gaza with medical supplies, in order to confront Corona," Al-Qarout said. He pointed out that the occupation authorities are still putting "restrictions on the introduction of supplies, medical devices and medicines, necessary to prevent the spread of the pandemic in the sector." He called on the international community to pressure the Israeli side to fulfill its legal obligations "towards the residents of the occupied territories, especially with regard to lifting the siege on Gaza and providing medical supplies." He also called on the World Health Organization to "open a regional center in the Palestinian territories to monitor the spread of the epidemic." And the Israeli occupation imposes a strict siege on the Gaza Strip for 13 years, as it closes all border crossings and ports that connect Gaza with the outside world through Egypt or the occupied Palestinian territories in 1948, except for partially opening them to enter some goods and travelers. The blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip affected the health status of the Strip, which led to the decline of the health system in light of the lack of medicine to record levels. The ministry says that the Gaza Strip is free of HIV infections, while the number of people infected with the virus in the West Bank has reached 44 cases. As of Wednesday noon, Corona affected more than 202,000 people in 167 countries and territories, of whom more than 8,000 died, most of them in China, Italy, Iran, Spain, South Korea, Germany, France and the United States. Corona´s global spread has forced many countries to close their borders, suspend flights, cancel numerous events, and prevent gatherings, including group prayers.
