Doctors at the border

[Joanne98]

RAFAH, EGYPT // By noon, the gate at the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip was swarming with doctors and nurses from all over the world. A daily three-hour ceasefire that Israel had agreed to observe was about to begin and many were hoping, suitcases at the ready, that they would be allowed in to help the thousands of Palestinians wounded in the two-week old assault.

Some doctors were arguing, some shouting, while others tried to keep their temper in check as they sought to convince the Egyptian security officials to open the gate.

But like previous days, the guards remained impervious to their pleas, allowing only an occasional convoy of medical supplies to cross the border, and accepting only a few of the most severely wounded victims for transfer to local hospitals.

As Israel rejects calls to end its attacks on Gaza, one of the most densely populated places on the planet, the Rafah crossing has become the latest flashpoint of anger in the conflict that has killed nearly 800 and injured at least 3,000 Palestinians.

Arab nationals have urged Egypt to give unfettered access to doctors and humanitarian workers so they can reach stranded civilians caught up in the fighting between Hamas and Israel.

Hundreds of doctors, surgeons, paramedics and nurses from countries as diverse as Turkey, Russia, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar, Yemen and Greece have descended on Rafah and El Arish, a resort town near the border.

Yet the government has refused them access on the grounds that their safety cannot be guaranteed.

“How can I explain? People are suffering, dying and they won’t allow us to help,” said Khalil Alniss, a British citizen of Palestinian origin who drove from London to Rafah two weeks ago in a white van laden with supplies.

“I’ve lost my voice fighting with the intelligence services for permission.”

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http://www.thenational.ae/article/20090110/FOREIGN/125505182/1040/rss