(Times of Israel) Elhanan Miller - Throughout Operation Protective Edge more than 400 Palestinians have passed through the Erez Crossing in local ambulances seeking medical treatment in Israeli and West Bank hospitals. On July 21, the IDF opened a military field hospital at the Erez border terminal, meant to provide emergency treatment for civilians injured in Gaza. But during a recent visit, the hospital was completely empty. Since its establishment, the hospital has treated some 50 Palestinians. The few patients who did arrive at Erez were either picked up by IDF fighting units, or referred by UNRWA or the Red Cross. "We encounter deep suspicion from patients," said Lt. Col. Sharon Biton of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the IDF branch entrusted with Palestinian civilian affairs. The primary force keeping Palestinians away was Hamas.
2014-08-05 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive