Palestinian stranded at Gaza border dies due to poor health conditions

Wednesday July 18, 2007 09:44 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

A Palestinian woman died on the Egyptian side of the Gaza-Egypt border late Tuesday night, Egyptian medical sources reported.

Palestinians stranded at the Rafah Crossing - 2007

Sana Sannan, 27, reportedly died due to poor health conditions after been stranded at the border for the past 35 days, unable to return to her home in the Gaza strip.

The sources added that Miss Sannan, who had severe cancer, was in Egypt for treatment. Her health worsened seriously during the night, leading to her death, medics said.

Since Hamas took total control of the Gaza strip last month, all border crossings leading in or out of Gaza have been closed by Israel and Egypt. This move has left thousands of Palestinian – most of who were in Egypt for medical treatment – stranded at the borders and unable return to their homes in the Gaza strip.

International human rights groups and the UN say that the conditions at the borders are difficult due to the lack of food, water and medical supplies there. To date, at least 30 Palestinian have died at the borders waiting to cross into the Gaza strip.

gaza strip | human rights | news report ghassanb at imemc dot org