Palestinian Ministry of Health reported on Tuesday that a pregnant woman was not allowed to cross Al-Tuffah military checkpoint, in the Gaza Strip, the delay caused her abortion.
The ministry reported that since September 2000, at least 39 children were born at military checkpoints after the soldiers refused to allow their mothers passage through the military checkpoints.
Also, the ministry asserted that it documented 63 cases of women giving birth at checkpoints after the army delayed the cars or ambulances transferring them to hospitals.
Palestinian Health Minister, Dr. Thuhni Al-Wehedi, condemned the military procedures on checkpoints which directly violates articles 16 and 17 of the fourth Geneva Conventions.
“Soldiers must ensure free access to medical teams and medical assistance, especially for the sick, elderly, children, and pregnant women, these violations are considered a direct breach of the fourth Geneva convections and the international lawâ€Â, Dr Al-Wehedi said.
Also, Dr. Al-Wehedi added that the woman who was not allowed to cross Al-Tuffah checkpoint on Tuesday was bleeding fro more than two hours, while soldiers were delaying the ambulance from reaching Mubarak hospital, which is a few hundred meters away.
The woman eventually lost her baby at the checkpoint, after contracting sever bleeding.
Dr. Al-Wehedi added that military checkpoints are preventing the sick and elderly from reaching the hospital and medical centers.
“Soldiers are obstructing their movement on their ways top hospitals and medical centers; they are also not issuing permits to enter Israel for treatment, or even in the West Bank as a result of the closures and checkpointsâ€Â, Al-Wehedi added.
Al-Wehedi reported that since April 16 until April 22, the number of sick residents referred fro treatment in Israel was 198, only 66 were allowed entry, 73 residents received no response after applying fro permits, and only 59 were not allowed to reach hospitals or medical facilities.
