The Health Sector of the Palestinian NGOs Network (PNGO) on Sunday called on the international community and human rights organizations to hold the Israeli occupation and its leaders accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people, including the attacks against the civilian participants in the peaceful return march events. The Health Sector also called for the protection of the medical crews as well as the civilian demonstrators participating in the march events.
This came up during a press conference organized in the Return Camp set up along the borders of the eastern Gaza Strip, by the Health Sector of the Palestinian NGOs Network to commemorate World Health Day. The press conference were held under the title of "Comprehensive Medical Insurance".
The participants raised up banners calling for an end to the political division and calling upon the national government to take over its full responsibilities in the Gaza Strip including the duties of the Ministry of Health (MOH) to unify and improve the health system.
Director of the Palestinian NGOs Network, Amjad Al Shawa, in a speech, said "At a time the world commemorates World Health Day, the Palestinian people suffering from the Israeli occupation practices and the international community fails to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its violations against the Palestinian civilians in the peaceful Great Return March".
"We are here today, where the occupation practice violence and commits violations against peaceful demonstrators who came to demand their basic rights enshrined in the international law, international humanitarian law and the entire human rights system," Shawa said.
Shawa condemned the Israeli occupation forces' use of excessive and deadly force in targeting civilians and journalists. Shawa as well condemned the cruel murder of journalist Yaser Murtaja, who conveyed the truth and exposed the Israeli violation in the Return March events to the world.
Shawa pointed out that medical crews at health NGOs have always been working alongside the medical crews of Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Red Crescent Society (PRCS) providing medical services despite the limited availability of services.
Palestinian NGO's Health Sector coordinator, Dr. Aed Yaghi, said, "The world commemorates World Health Day on April 7th every year, and this year it is dedicated to the theme of 'Comprehensive Medical Insurance' to support the continued struggle to achieve a comprehensive medical insurance in different countries around the globe".
During the press conference, Dr. Aed Yaghi, read out the press statement issued by the health sector of the Palestinian NGOs Network, saying "On this occasion, we as representatives of the health sector of Palestinian NGOs Network came to the Return Camp in eastern Gaza to raise the voice that 'comprehensive medical insurance' is not available in the occupied Palestinian territories and the right to health would never be guaranteed to the Palestinian people like the rest of the world as long as the Israeli occupation to the Palestinian land and blockade on the Gaza Strip continue".
Yaghi pointed out that the press conference is held in light of the continued Israeli occupation's unjust blockade on the Gaza Strip which continues for more than 12 years, and he explained that the blockade has strongly affected the economic, social, health situation in the Gaza Strip and left a psychological impact on the Gazan people.
He also pointed out in the press statement to the increase of unemployment, poverty and food insecurity in an unprecedented manner in the Gaza Strip, which has led to a serious deterioration in health conditions at all levels.
Yaghi said that the Palestinian people have the right to access health services and safe access to quality health services, thus the political division must end and the Palestinian consensus government must take over its responsibilities in the Gaza strip, primarily for the Ministry of Health (MOH), to improve the health situation and health services.
The statement called upon donors to expedite the provision of financial support to health institutions to ensure continuity of health services and patients' need fulfillment, and in order to deal with emergency needs in light of the increasing numbers of wounded during the return marches.
At the end of the statement, Yaghi paid tribute to all the Palestinian people in all sectors and the medical teams working under extremely difficult conditions in order to provide medical service with all due respect, despite occupation's attacks against them and the lack of medicines and medical supplies and equipments.
