UN-Truth

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have just allowed supplies of nitrous oxide gas needed for anesthesia in surgery to enter the Gaza Strip, according to the Palestinian independent news agency Maan.

An IDF spokesperson at the Erez crossing from Israel into Gaza said that the Palestinian request for the gas was made only on Sunday afternoon, and denied previous refusals “Unfortunately the Palestinians informed us about the urgent need for gas at the last moment, after the depletion of their reserve,” Maan reported.

However, the Maan report said, the spokesperson of “the de facto Palestinian Health Ministry [Maan terminology] in Gaza Khalid Radi disputed this account”. The Maan report that supplies of nitrous oxide gas were allowed into Gaza on Monday is here.

On Sunday, the Ramattan Palestinian independent news agency reported that operatiing rooms in Gaza hospitals had been closed because nitrous gas used for anesthesia was running out.

Ramattan said that “The spokesperson of the dismissed Ministry of Health [Ramattan terminologyy], Khaled Radhi, told RNA that nitrous is running out in Gaza, pointing out that the last amount of the gas, two tubes, could finish any time … [and] that the (Hamas-led) Ministry of Health in Gaza appealed to concerned international bodies and to the World Health Organization”…
The Ramattan report that there were only two tubes of nitrous oxide left in Gaza on Sunday is here.

Maan also reported on Monday that over 100 Gazan patients needing urgent medical treatment were awaiting Egyptian approval for their transfer to Egypt for care. The “deposed” [Maan terminology] Palestinian Health Minister in the “de facto” [Maan terminology] “government of the Gaza Strip, Basim Na’im, said Monday that … some, but not all of the patients may be Hamas-affiliated”.
The Maan report about delays in transferring Gazan patients to Israel is here.

On Sunday, the Israeli Cabinet discussed a proposal from Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon that “the Defense Ministry permit the transfer of 4,500 calves into Gaza. According to the minister, the transfer of the calves, which were imported to the region from Australia, could help prevent starvation in the Strip. He said he was considering submitting a bill that would omit the agricultural aspect from the Cabinet’s recent declaration of Gaza a ‘hostile political entity’. According to Simhon, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai approved the gradual transfer into the Strip of 1,500 out of the 4,500 calves that are quarantined in Israel … [and that] … Another shipment of 1,500 calves is currently on its way from Australia. Ramattan said that “The spokesperson of the dismissed Ministry of Health [Ramattan terminologyy], Khaled Radhi, told RNA that nitrous is running out in Gaza, pointing out that the last amount of the gas, two tubes, could finish any time … [and] that the (Hamas-led) Ministry of Health in Gaza appealed to concerned international bodies and to the World Health Organization”…
The Ramattan report that there were only two tubes of nitrous oxide left in Gaza on Sunday is here.

Maan also reported on Monday that over 100 Gazan patients needing urgent medical treatment were awaiting Egyptian approval for their transfer to Egypt for care. The “deposed” [Maan terminology] Palestinian Health Minister in the “de facto” [Maan terminology] “government of the Gaza Strip, Basim Na’im, said Monday that … some, but not all of the patients may be Hamas-affiliated”.
The Maan report about delays in transferring Gazan patients to Israel is here.

On Sunday, the Israeli Cabinet discussed a proposal from Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon that the Defense Ministry permit the transfer of thousands of Australian calves into Gaza . The Israeli Ynet website reported over the weekend that the Agriculture Minister “was considering submitting a bill that would omit the agricultural aspect from the Cabinet’s recent declaration of Gaza a hostile political entity … ‘We cannot let the population in Gaza starve, despite the Cabinet’s decision’, Simhon said”.

News reports after the Israeli Cabinet meeting say that Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni opposed another proposal from Simhon — to allow agricultural produce from Gaza, destined for Europe, transit Israel.

Ynet had reported earlier that “The Dutch government has invested 20 million euros in Gaza’s agricultural field this year, especially in flowers and strawberries”.
The Ynet report on the Israeli agricultural minister’s proposals to avoid starvation in Gaza are here.

Filed under: Gaza, Israel, Middle East Peace Process, Palestine & Palestinians, Quartet