Former Netherlands Prime Minister, Andries van Agt, said that the health sector is extremely miserable in the Gaza Strip, stressing the need to end Gazans’ sufferance, the Palestinian Maan News Agency reported on Wednesday afternoon. “It is clear that the health sector is extremely terrible†the premier said during a visit to the Dar –Ash-Shifa Hospital accompanied by the Minister of Health in Gaza, Basem Na’im, confirming that he would take action in his country and the European Union to break Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip.
“The crisis of medicine and medical material are still flow, which expose most health services to be shut,†Na’im said, adding that “more than 500 patients were died due the shortage of medical services and Israel’s siege on Gaza.â€
He further pointed out that the crisis of electricity shortage in hospitals and medical facilities for more than 8-10 hours a day threatens the lives of patients in the biological departments.
In addition, Mr. Na’im received a Palestinian delegate of the Palestinian community in Germany, headed by Mr. Nader As-Saqa, in coordination with Palestinian civil institutions.
Mr. Na’im explained the severe suffering that the Israeli blockade has been causing on Gaza’s people everyday since more than 5 years. He also discussed the crisis of the shortage of electricity, medical devices shortage as well as the disability of patients to travel abroad.
Israel has imposed a tightened and restricted siege on the Gaza Strip since Hamas took over the Gaza Strip in June 2006.
It is worth mentioning that Hamas-headed government is controlling the Gaza Strip since June 2006 after an internal strife triggered out between Hamas and Fatah affiliates in the enclave. Therefore, Hamas government broke up with the P.A in Ramallah, the political capital of the Palestinian Authority.
Moreover, a national unity agreement has been signed between Fatah and Hamas few months ago which is mediated by Egypt, but no steps has been implemented on the ground so far.
In 2006, the Palestinian legislative elections were made and the Hamas Movement won about 80 seats out of 132 seats while the Fatah Movement won about 52 seats. Internal conflict has been made as the two parties did not agree on the portfolios of the cabinet.
After months of political conflict, Hamas affiliates in the Gaza Strip allegedly killed, and arrested a plenty of the Fatah affiliates alongside burning, damaging the P.A property and institutions in Gaza.
The Hamas Movement claims that many of whom killed were working for Israel as spies and they are involving in assassinating several of the Hamas and Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas Movement, leaders and militants. A charge which the P.A and PLO Fatah officials refused and they accused Hamas of defaming the Palestinian Cause.
After Hamas’ control of Gaza, Palestinian President and Fatah Executive Committee member, Mahmoud Abbas, dissolved the elected government and the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and announced a caretaker government headed by Dr. Salam Sayyad, who is a parliament member of “The Third Way Blocâ€.
Despite that fact that Fatah and Hamas movements signed the national reconciliation in Egypt, they still are fighting on some portfolios and the designated name of the head of the national government.
