Attachments
Access
The Gaza Strip
There were 1,828 (M: 912; F: 916) permit applications for patients from the Gaza Strip to Israeli authorities in May, 8% higher than the monthly average for 2022 (1,691) and the highest monthly number of applications since December 2022 (1,802). Close to a third (30%) of applications were for children under 18 and close to a fifth (18%) were for patients over 60 years old. A half (50%) were for female patients, while 83% were for referrals funded by the Palestinian MoH. More than half (51%) of applications were for appointments in east Jerusalem hospitals; 30% were for hospitals in the West Bank outside east Jerusalem; and 19% were for Israeli hospitals. 45% of applications were for appointments at either Augusta Victoria Hospital (28%) or Makassed Hospital (17%), both in east Jerusalem. The top five specialties accounted for 73% of permit applications: oncology (37%); haematology (11%); cardiology (10%); paediatrics (9%); and ophthalmology (6%). The remaining 27% of applications were for 23 other specialties.
A further 102 permit applications for patients and companions were submitted through the Palestinian General Authority of Civil Affairs during May for travel by shuttle to Jordan, which requires approval of Israeli and Jordanian authorities for direct transfer from Beit Hanoun/Erez to the King Hussein Bridge to Jordan, without formal entry to Israel or the West Bank. Jordanian hospitals issue an open appointment, rather than specifying a hospital appointment date, for these permit applications. Of the 102 applications, 29 (28%) were approved within the month, 0 (0%) were denied and 73 (72%) remained pending at the time of monthly reporting.
Approved permit applications: 1,419 (M: 682; F: 737), or 78%, of the 1,828 patient applications to cross Beit Hanoun/Erez were approved in May 2023. The approval rate has declined after a peak of 85% in February.
The approval rate for patient permit applications varies by age and sex of patients, see Table 1. In May, of the different demographic groups, men aged 18 to 40 had the lowest approval rate at 61%, men aged 41-60 had an approval rate of 69%, while children aged 0 to 3 years had the highest approval rate (90%). The overall approval rate for female patients (80%) was higher than for male patients (75%).