More than 20 American doctors are stuck in Gaza due to Israel’s closure of the Rafah border crossing with Egypt after the invasion, according to sources with knowledge of the fate of two ill-fated medical missions.
Israel blocked the entry of fuel, food and water into Rafah for over a week, leading to severe dehydration of the general population, as well as medics on mission.
Relatives of the doctors were informed by the State Department that rescue efforts were underway, including in coordination with the United Nations and the Israeli military. However, on Monday, the Israeli army fired on a United Nations vehicle traveling to the European hospital in Khan Younis, near Rafah, killing one UN employee and injuring another.
A family member of one of the doctors stranded at the European Hospital said he suspected the vehicle was part of the rescue mission, but was not sure. “We are aware that a car which was also supposed to serve as their escape route was hit and that UN staff were killed and injured and we fear for their ability to have safe passage and egress “, said this relative. “We are aware that there is active shelling around the hospital and staff have been asked to stay away from windows. »
Among the stranded doctors is Adam Hamawy, a plastic surgeon and Army veteran from New Jersey. While serving in Iraq, he was on duty when now-Sen. Tammy Duckworth’s mutilated body was taken to hospital after her helicopter was shot down. She credits him with saving her life. Hamawy’s friend, Sami Shaban, has been in contact with him in recent days and told him that he is doing well physically. “He’s a tough guy,” said Shaban, who lost 35 members of his own family in Gaza. “Now we just have to get him home.” We financed the bombing of every hospital there. You must at least let emergency services in and out.
Doctors are rationing water and at least one doctor is in poor health and is on an IV drip to combat dehydration. The dire state of the medical mission underscores how difficult conditions are for the average Palestinian, who spent seven months enduring the Israeli siege, while the medical mission only recently arrived. More than a million Palestinians are stuck in Rafah, at the southern end of the Gaza Strip. With Israel threatening a full-scale invasion of Rafah, Israeli troops entered the area last week and took control of the crossing into Egypt.
The doctors are part of two medical missions, one of which was organized by FAJR Scientific, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. It was not immediately clear which organization set up the second mission.
“People on the ground have always said that once you are all gone and you are not allowed in, we will be destroyed like Al-Shifa,” Dr Mohammed Khaleel said on Monday, referring to the largest hospital in Gaza, which Israel has attacked several times. . Khaleel recently returned from the last mission organized by FAJR. “I guess we were all hoping this wouldn’t be allowed to happen.” Khaleel, who spoke about his experience in a recent interview on the Intercept podcast, has also been in contact with doctors participating in the ongoing mission, and he said they remain optimistic about their release this week.
The FAJR mission was ordered to leave its safe location, Khaleel said, because it was no longer considered safe.
The Intercept asked about the stranded doctors during the State Department’s daily briefing Monday. “We are aware of reports that U.S. citizen doctors and medical professionals are currently unable to leave Gaza,” spokesman Vedant Patel said. “We do not control this border crossing and this is an incredibly complex situation that has very serious implications for the safety and security of American citizens. But we continue to work around the clock with the Israeli government and the Egyptian government to work on this issue.”
Patel added: “Rafah is a channel for the safe departure of foreign nationals, which is why we continue to want it to be opened as quickly as possible. »
A test evacuation will begin on Wednesday, a source familiar with the matter said, and if all goes well, further evacuations will be attempted.
Updated: May 13, 2024, 5:33 p.m. ET
This article has been updated to mention a plan to attempt to evacuate Rafah and identify one of the trapped doctors, Adam Hamawy.
News Source : theintercept.com
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