Claire Dawson
Despite ongoing terror threats, unrest, and wars, many Palestinians travel to Israel for medical care. In 2005, approximately 123,000 Palestinians were treated at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, and in 2016, 93,890 Palestinians received permits for treatment at hospitals throughout Israel. However, Israel's blockade of the Gaza Strip has severely impacted the healthcare system, and thousands of Palestinians have been prevented from leaving Gaza for medical treatment. Israeli and Palestinian medical volunteers work together to provide cross-border healthcare, with groups like 'Road to Recovery' helping to transport Palestinian patients to Israeli hospitals.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Palestinians treated in Israeli hospitals in 2005 | 123,000 |
| Number of Palestinians treated at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem in 2005 | 123,000 |
| Number of admissions at Hadassah Hospital in 2005 | 15,000 |
| Number of visits to the emergency department at Hadassah Hospital in 2005 | 32,000 |
| Number of Palestinians who crossed into Israel and were treated in hospitals in East Jerusalem | 6,577 |
| Number of Palestinian children with birth defects and chronic diseases treated in Israeli hospitals in 2017 | 9,832 |
| Number of permits issued for Palestinians to receive medical treatment in Israel in the first half of 2017 | 46,132 |
| Number of authorisations issued for Palestinian medical personnel to work or be trained in Israel or East Jerusalem in 2017 | 2,163 |
| Number of permits issued for patients to be treated at hospitals in Israel in 2016 | 93,890 |
| Number of permits issued for family members accompanying patients to Israel in 2016 | 100,722 |
| Number of patients treated at West Jerusalem Hadassah hospitals in 2016 | 15,743 |
| Number of Palestinian patients driven to Israeli hospitals annually by the 'Road to Recovery' group | 2,700 |
| Number of referrals issued by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in July of an unspecified year for Palestinians to receive medical treatment outside occupied territories | 9,698 |
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What You'll Learn
- Palestinians are prevented from leaving Gaza for medical treatment in Israel
- Israeli hospitals provide extensive medical services to Palestinians
- Volunteers help Palestinians travel to hospitals in Israel
- Palestinian patients are transported to Israeli hospitals by 'Road to Recovery'
- Coordination issues between Palestinian and Israeli authorities halt treatment for Palestinians
Palestinians are prevented from leaving Gaza for medical treatment in Israel
Despite ongoing terror threats, wars, and unrest, many Palestinians travel to Israel for medical treatment. Israeli hospitals have provided Palestinians with extensive medical services for years. For example, in 2005, approximately 123,000 Palestinians were treated at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, including 15,000 admissions and 32,000 visits to the emergency department. In 2016, 93,890 Palestinians received permits to be treated at hospitals throughout Israel, with an additional 100,722 permits issued for accompanying family members.
However, the process of obtaining permits to leave Gaza for medical treatment in Israel is not always straightforward. In 2022, Israel prevented thousands of Palestinians in need of medical care from leaving Gaza for treatment. One patient reported being made to wait for several hours at a border checkpoint, despite having a permit to receive treatment in Israel. Another patient reported that their application for a permit was denied multiple times.
The blockade Israel has imposed on the Gaza Strip for over 15 years has severely impacted the healthcare system in Gaza. The level of medical services available falls short of residents' needs, and there is a constant shortage of medicines and medical equipment. As a result, many Palestinians from Gaza seek medical treatment in Israel. However, the process of obtaining permits to leave Gaza can be challenging, and some Palestinians are unable to access treatment in Israel due to permit denials or the inability to pay for treatment.
To address these challenges, Israeli and Palestinian medical volunteers work together to provide cross-border healthcare. Organizations like Road to Recovery and Wheels of Hope help transport Palestinian patients to Israeli hospitals, breaking down physical and language barriers. Israeli hospitals have also been urged to put medical ethics first and treat patients who come to them, even without a coverage guarantee from the Palestinian Authority.
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Israeli hospitals provide extensive medical services to Palestinians
Israeli hospitals have long provided extensive medical services to Palestinians. Despite ongoing terror threats, unrest, and wars, many Palestinians cross into Israel daily for medical care unavailable in their impoverished home territories. In 2005, approximately 123,000 Palestinians were treated at just one institution, Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, including 15,000 admissions and 32,000 emergency department visits. In 2016, 93,890 special entry permits were issued for patients to receive treatment at hospitals throughout Israel, with over one-third of these patients receiving care at the two West Jerusalem Hadassah hospitals.
Tens of thousands of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip cross into Israel annually for medical treatment. While the Palestinian Authority covers the cost of treatment, it does not cover transportation, which can be prohibitive for many families. To address this, Israeli and Palestinian medical volunteers work together to provide cross-border healthcare, defying barriers amid continuous conflict. One such group, Road to Recovery, helps transport Palestinian patients, mostly children, from West Bank and Gaza crossing points to hospitals inside Israel and back. In 2023, the group had around 1,000 active members helping approximately 2,700 patients annually.
Israeli hospitals also provide medical services to Palestinians in other ways. For example, during the first half of 2017, 2,163 permits were authorized for Palestinian medical personnel to work or be trained in Israel or East Jerusalem. In addition, Israeli hospitals have treated Palestinians who require ongoing treatment for orthopedic issues, cancer, and other serious illnesses. For instance, in 2022, a Palestinian girl with eye cancer was transported by a Road to Recovery volunteer to Shiba Hospital Tel Hashomer near Tel Aviv for treatment.
However, it is important to note that there have been instances where Palestinians have been prevented from receiving medical care in Israel due to permit denials or the Palestinian Authority's refusal to pay for treatment. For example, in 2022, Israel prevented thousands of Palestinians in need of medical care from leaving Gaza for treatment, and there have been cases of Palestinian patients being unable to receive treatment at Israeli hospitals due to a lack of coverage by the Palestinian Authority.
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Volunteers help Palestinians travel to hospitals in Israel
Volunteers play a crucial role in helping Palestinians travel to hospitals in Israel, providing essential support to those seeking medical treatment. This assistance is particularly important given the challenges Palestinians face in accessing healthcare. Due to the blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and the occupation of the West Bank, Palestinians often struggle to receive timely and adequate medical care in their home territories. Israeli hospitals offer advanced medical services that are unavailable in the West Bank and Gaza, making cross-border travel necessary for many Palestinian patients.
One notable volunteer organisation is Road to Recovery, an Israeli NGO established in 2010. Road to Recovery coordinates the transportation of Palestinians, especially children, from the West Bank and Gaza crossing points to hospitals inside Israel. With around 1,000 active members, the group assists approximately 2,700 patients annually. Yael Noy, a volunteer with Road to Recovery, has shared her motivation for helping Palestinians: "I couldn't live here without doing something. We live in such a complex and difficult reality. This is a tiny gesture I do in order to face this reality."
The patient transfer process involves coordination between Israeli and Palestinian volunteers. In one common approach, a Palestinian volunteer driver picks up a patient from their village and takes them to the checkpoint on the border with Israel. At the checkpoint, an Israeli volunteer driver takes the patient across the border and to the hospital for their treatment. This system helps Palestinians overcome physical and language barriers, ensuring they can access the medical services they need.
While volunteers play a vital role, it is important to acknowledge the broader context of permit denials and delays in approving patient permits. These issues can hinder Palestinians' ability to reach their hospital appointments in Israel, even when facing severe health conditions. In recent years, the approval rate for patient permits has fluctuated, ranging from 94% in 2012 to 54% in 2017. This uncertainty underscores the importance of volunteer efforts in facilitating Palestinians' access to Israeli hospitals.
Overall, volunteers make a significant contribution to helping Palestinians travel to hospitals in Israel. By providing transportation and coordination support, volunteers bridge the gap between Palestinian patients and the medical services they require. Despite the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, these acts of compassion foster moments of "small peace" in a challenging reality.
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Palestinian patients are transported to Israeli hospitals by 'Road to Recovery'
The Israeli NGO 'Road to Recovery' provides transportation for Palestinian patients, mostly children, from the West Bank and Gaza crossing points to hospitals inside Israel. The treatments these patients require are unavailable in their home territories. The organisation also helps with the purchase of medical equipment in special cases and organises vacations and special 'Fun-Day' outings for patients and their families.
Road to Recovery was established in 2010 and now has around 1,000 active members, including volunteer drivers, helping around 2,700 patients annually. The group was born after Palestinians, belonging to an inter-communal group of families bereaved by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, asked for help. The patient transfers are coordinated on the Palestinian side by Naem Abu Yussef, who lives in a village near Qalqilya in the northern West Bank.
One of the patients transported by Road to Recovery is six-year-old Adam Abu al-Rob, who lost an eye to cancer. Adam and his father Mamoun were met by Israeli volunteer Yael Noy at the Rehan checkpoint. Their destination was a hospital near Tel Aviv, where Adam was to receive follow-up treatment.
Another example is the story of a girl who was transported by a 72-year-old retired army officer, Noam Ben Zvi, from a checkpoint to a Jerusalem hospital. Ben Zvi waited for hours for her to be treated before driving her back to the northern West Bank crossing point.
In 2005, approximately 123,000 Palestinians were treated at just one institution, Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, which included 15,000 admissions and 32,000 visits to the emergency department. In 2016, 93,890 authorisations were issued for patients to be treated at hospitals throughout Israel, with more than one-third of these patients being treated at the two West Jerusalem Hadassah hospitals.
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Coordination issues between Palestinian and Israeli authorities halt treatment for Palestinians
Despite ongoing terror threats, wars, and blockades, many Palestinians do pass into Israel for medical care. In 2005, approximately 123,000 Palestinians were treated at just one institution, Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, including 15,000 admissions and 32,000 visits to the emergency department. In 2016, 93,890 authorizations were issued for patients to be treated at hospitals throughout Israel, with an additional 100,722 permits issued for accompanying family members. In the first half of 2017, 9,832 Palestinian children with birth defects and chronic diseases were treated in Israeli hospitals.
However, thousands of Palestinians in need of medical care have been prevented from leaving Gaza for treatment in Israel. This is due to permit denials by Israel, the Palestinian Authority refusing to pay for treatment, or the Palestinian Civilian Affairs Committee refusing to forward exit permit applications. For example, in 2022, a Palestinian father of four with kidney failure and an 8-year-old Palestinian child were both prevented from leaving Gaza for medical treatment in Israel.
Volunteer organizations like Road to Recovery and Wheels of Hope have stepped in to help Palestinians access medical care in Israel. Road to Recovery, established in 2010, helps transport around 2,700 Palestinian patients annually to hospitals inside Israel, while Wheels of Hope uses Palestinian and Israeli volunteer drivers to transport patients from their villages to hospitals across the border in Israel.
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Frequently asked questions
Approximately 123,000 Palestinians were treated at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem in 2005.
In 2016, 93,890 Palestinians received approval to be treated in hospitals throughout Israel.
During the first half of 2017, 46,132 Palestinians received approval to be treated in Israeli hospitals.
In 2017, 9,832 Palestinian children with birth defects and chronic diseases were treated in Israeli hospitals.
Yes, organisations such as Road to Recovery, Wheels of Hope, and Humans Without Borders help Palestinians travel to Israeli hospitals for treatment.
