The Coordinator of Government Activities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza, together with the Coordination and Liaison Administration of the Gaza Strip allowed on Monday the entry of medical equipment from Israel into Gaza. The equipment is to be used by the Jordanian hospital in the Gaza Strip. Also allowed was a turnover of 195 members of the hospital staff. The convoy came into Gaza through the Erez crossing and included 19 trucks with food and medical supplies for the hospital, as well as five buses carrying the medical staff. Along with the medical supplies and staff, the convoy also included a fuel tanker and a cooling truck for the hospital as well as prefabricated buildings, which will be added to the existing structure and will expand the hospital building by 300 square meters. Despite the violent takeover of the Gaza Strip by the Hamas terror group and despite its claims that Israel is not allowing any supplies to enter the Strip, Israel has continuously allowed the entry of humanitarian supplies into the region. In 2009, some 4,883 tons of medical equipment and medicine were delivered to the region, as well as medical supplies for the disabled such as wheelchairs, crutches and first aid kits. Also shipped to the region’s hospitals and clinics that year were heart monitors, baby feeding tubes, dental equipment, medical books, ambulance emergency equipment, artificial limbs and infant sleeping bags. In the first quarter of 2010, 152 trucks of medical supplies and equipment made their way into Gaza. Israel has continuously allowed the entry of such supplies into Gaza despite heavy rocket attacks which originated from the region. Israel has also allowed Gaza residents in need of medical care to leave the Strip and receive it in Israel. In 2009, 10,544 patients and their companions left Gaza to access medical care in Israel, and there were 382 emergency evacuations from Gaza for medical purposes. Last year, an Egyptian journalist reported about a “prosperous” Gaza in which prices are low and luxury businesses are booming. He noted that Gaza’s markets are filled with a “plethora of goods.” Thanks to Israel, Gaza has also been allowed to export to Europe products such as cherry tomatoes, strawberries, carnations, and peppers. A spokesperson for the Coordinator of Government Activities in Judea, Samaria, and Gaza said in a statement on Monday that “the entry of medical equipment to hospitals was conducted as part of our humanitarian efforts for Gaza residents. These efforts are made on a daily basis at all levels and channels, with emphasis on health, education, agriculture and infrastructure.”
