The World Health Organization accused Israel on Tuesday of causing the deaths of Palestinian Authority Arabs from Gaza due to lengthy security checks. The WHO cited 32 such cases since last October, of which six were waiting for permits to enter pre-1967 and the remainder were either denied permits altogether because they were considered security risks to the state or waiting for security coordination to make the crossover through the security barrier.
Israel countered with a blunt reminder that PA Arab patients have in the past been granted permits to enter Israeli hospitals in the past only to be found attempting to carry out terrorist attacks. One such case took place at the doors of Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva several years ago on what was supposed to have been a return visit for a female patient. Alert security guards stopped the would-be attacker before she could carry out her plans.
"They (PA terrorists, such as Hamas) use humanitarian needs to attack us. We have to check every request," said IDF Col. Nir Press, head of the security coordination for Gaza. He noted that two middle-aged mothers who had applied for permits for health treatment were found to would-be suicide bombers, according to Associated Press.