Their power to preserve life delivers a message of death and torment as reality infringes upon ability.  A cancer patient, an asthmatic child, a teenager stricken with a gangrene infested shrapnel wound, to each the message is the same. "We are sorry. We don’t have medicine for you”.

Jordan, Egypt, peace groups in Israel and many nations around the world frantically attempt to get food and medical supplies to Al Shifa and the Occupied Territory’s hospitals.  Many trucks are delayed, stopped or turned back by the Israeli Occupation Forces at border crossings, some detained for months.  Each delay costs lives.

Lonely at the Top

Minister of Health Dr. Bassen Naim, a German educated surgeon, attends to a growing line of citizens outside his office, desperate for help, but turned away by the hospital. Appointed after the election to his position by the new Hamas government the bulk of his time is spent comforting the sick, handicap and infirmed.  Without medicine and supplies, comfort and empathy must do. This reality weighs heavy on this surgeon’s heart as he begins to explain the situation.

 "I’m distressed and anguished,” he begins.  Each word carrying the weight of frustration and regret. “I'm the Minister of Health and I cannot find a single dose of medicine, just one dose that would save the life of the ten year old child in my office."

With an elbow on the desk, his skilled fingers cradle his head as he slowly shakes it from side to side.

"This economic siege by the international community, the cutting of aid by EU, USA and others directly affects our civic ability to purchase and acquire the medical supplies and essential medicines we need.  Already we are $17 million dollars in debt, not including monies owed to hospitals in Jordan and Egypt where gratefully we’ve been able to send the dire cases."

Sighing he continues, "We have people suffering from cancer, heart and kidney disease requiring specialized medicine and medical equipment.  We cannot help. The drugs required for operations, even such minor supplies as clean bandages…the absence of these mean there are lives that should not end, but do.  We cannot save them. 

Thirteen thousand people work for the Ministry of Health throughout Gaza and the West Bank.  For four months these dedicated people have gone without pay,” he states with admiration. “Yet they come to work. We are so grateful that even under these circumstances, without the tools, they continue committed.”

The price of Siege

When asked about the effects of Israeli border closures and reprisal attacks by Israeli forces on the population Naim continues.

"Israel’s siege of the crossings and borders into Gaza has stalled the shipments of necessary medicine, supplies and equipment coming in from Jordan and Egypt. For example today’s medical shipments wait at the crossings.  No reason is given, they are simply stopped," he explains. “The closures and sporadic attacks by Israeli forces within Gaza coupled with the recent incursions increase the number of people we must help while exhausting what remains of our stock.”

The perishability of many medicines halted at Israeli checkpoints indefinitely, especially as summer sets in presents further issues.

"We have medical shipments stalled for over four months, rotting and out of reach.  For these trucks and supplies to reach us, we must wait for empathy, some semblance or feeling of humanity to enter the hearts of the Israeli occupation soldiers who have the sole power to release the trucks.”

The freezing of Palestinian funds by Israel and the economic embargo by the international community prevents the $4.5 million dollars necessary each month for the health services from reaching those who need it.  One of the side effects of Israel’s policies is witnessed as Gaza ambulances are forced to stop in route for lack of fuel.  Fuel prevented from entering Gaza due to Israeli border closures.

"The Israeli closure effects ambulances movement, and lack of natural gas effects equipment in the operating rooms," Naim explains.

Ironically, the West Bank possesses the second largest natural gas reserve in the world.  Israel continues, via horizontal drilling from Jerusalem, to harvest this resource for its own use.

Despite Naim’s numerous appeals to international aid organizations, governments and nations and the attempts of human rights groups within Israel and around the world, the Israeli Occupation Forces under the direction of the Israeli government, through their control of the borders, land, sea and air have the sole power of life and death over all Palestinians.  Nothing gets in or out without Israeli approval. Even truth serves as a casualty in the arena of international public opinion, further convincing nations and peoples the victims are victimizers and the victimizers victims. This perception serves to orchestrate policies that go against the values most nations and people follow, allowing the embargos, restrictions and occupation to continue and choking off the life saving supplies.

"What we have been able to get into Gaza, given our needs. It's a drop of water in an ocean." Naim admits ruefully.

When asked about the reason for the sanctions, Naim answers. "Israel is orchestrating a slow death for the Palestinians. This is how I read the situation. These policies function as a collective extermination.  This is what we are facing and it must be stopped!"

And on responsibility, Naim is emphatic.  

“The full responsibility for the continued occupation and present health crisis in Palestine rests squarely on the world's conscience.   As a civilized world defined by its civil societies and human rights organizations, all people should be able to empathize with what Palestinians are living through.”

The Palestinian people need the world’s help and they need it now.  Each day the world waits, making excuses for Israel’s behavior more children die. Every time a nation ignores the facts, oppression, apartheid and racism in the Holy Land, the closer Palestinians get to extinction.

People were never meant to be endangered species; at least we never were until now.