From Occupied Palestine

Sick citizen died after Israeli soldiers prevented him from reaching hospital
WAFA Palestine News Agency, 28 May 2005

Qalqilyah -- A sick citizen died at dawn today after the Israeli occupation soldiers prevented the car that was carrying him from crossing a military roadblock near Nablus in the West Bank to take him to the city hospital for treatment.

Medical sources said that Azzam Attiyah Suwwan, 56, from Immatin village in Qalqilyah Governorate, died when Israeli soldiers at Bayt Iba roadblock prevented the car carrying him from crossing the roadblock.

Ashraf Summan, driver of the cab, said: The occupation soldiers at Bayt Iba roadblock prevented me from crossing and beat me, and when I told them that I have a sick person about to die, an officer there said: "Let him die away from us."

The driver added: "The soldiers prevented the ambulance that was sent from the hospital from crossing the roadblock, adding that after more than 40 minutes, they allowed us to carry the sick person on hands and not on a stretcher and when the paramedic checked him, he found out that he passed away."

Source: Palestinian news agency WAFA web site, Gaza, in Arabic 0820 gmt 28 May 05; BBC Monitoring International Reports, "Palestinian dies after Israeli soldiers prevent hospital visit - News agency", 28 May 2005