The Gaza Strip constitutes an integral part of the territory occupied by Israel in 1967. Therefore, as Israel maintains effective control over the Strip it represents an occupying power and must uphold its legal obligations in its treatment of the population, including ensuring and facilitating effective access to medical treatment for patients. However, facts on the ground indicate that the practice is only the opposite.
Israel disregards its legal obligation towards civilians, including patients in Gaza. This fact sheet highlights the impact of the Israeli policies, including the blockade regime imposed on Gaza and on Palestinian civilians' ability to access medical treatment, particularly to hospitals in the West Bank (including Jerusalem), Israel and Jordan.