By Anav Silverman
Ten minutes away from Sderot, sits the Erez Crossing--the only crossing that serves as a pedestrian exit point for Gaza Strip residents entering Israel. The crossing is currently open to Palestinian workers holding permits and families seeking medical treatment in Israel. Large numbers of journalists and international foreign press also cross through the point.
I recently had an opportunity with Sderot Media Center to tour the Erez crossing, on February 4, during a visit coordinated with the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (IICC).
As we entered into the crossing, we could see that there was a new addition to the heavily guarded compound. A gleaming medical center stood before us, which had been opened two weeks ago at the start of the unilateral ceasefire between Hamas and Israel on January 18. Israel's Magen David Adom in cooperation with the Department of Health opened the center to treat wounded Gazans, with the Israel investing millions of dollars into its construction.
The new Israeli medical center can handle 30 patients per hour and is staffed by paramedics and doctors who specialize in emergency medicine, pediatrics, trauma, gynecology, orthopedics, and other fields. It is equipped with state of the art laboratories, X-ray machines, and a pharmacy.
"The only problem," tells us Shlomo Tzaban, one of the managers at the Erez Crossing, "is that the medical center is empty. No one is using it because Hamas discourages Palestinians from seeking treatment at Israeli hospitals." Indeed, Hamas controls the crossing on the Gaza end and therefore has complete authority on Palestinians seeking to enter Israel. Subsequently, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of Palestinians seeking medical treatment in Israel--down to 80-90% --says Tzaban. Read more ...
Ten minutes away from Sderot, sits the Erez Crossing--the only crossing that serves as a pedestrian exit point for Gaza Strip residents entering Israel. The crossing is currently open to Palestinian workers holding permits and families seeking medical treatment in Israel. Large numbers of journalists and international foreign press also cross through the point.
I recently had an opportunity with Sderot Media Center to tour the Erez crossing, on February 4, during a visit coordinated with the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center (IICC).
As we entered into the crossing, we could see that there was a new addition to the heavily guarded compound. A gleaming medical center stood before us, which had been opened two weeks ago at the start of the unilateral ceasefire between Hamas and Israel on January 18. Israel's Magen David Adom in cooperation with the Department of Health opened the center to treat wounded Gazans, with the Israel investing millions of dollars into its construction.
The new Israeli medical center can handle 30 patients per hour and is staffed by paramedics and doctors who specialize in emergency medicine, pediatrics, trauma, gynecology, orthopedics, and other fields. It is equipped with state of the art laboratories, X-ray machines, and a pharmacy.
"The only problem," tells us Shlomo Tzaban, one of the managers at the Erez Crossing, "is that the medical center is empty. No one is using it because Hamas discourages Palestinians from seeking treatment at Israeli hospitals." Indeed, Hamas controls the crossing on the Gaza end and therefore has complete authority on Palestinians seeking to enter Israel. Subsequently, there has been a dramatic decrease in the number of Palestinians seeking medical treatment in Israel--down to 80-90% --says Tzaban. Read more ...
Source: FrontPage Magazine
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