The siege on Gaza prevents almost all movement of people and goods across the borders of the Gaza Strip. In addition to almost halting imports of daily household items, food, and equipment necessary for fixing Gaza’s over-stressed water system, the blockade also prevents residents from leaving for life saving medical operations. In this tragic story from Electronic Intifada, Yousef M. Aljamal writes of the loss of his sister, killed by the siege, as she was unable to leave Gaza for gallbladder surgery:

The operation was described as “simple” by doctors, yet some of the equipment needed for it was not available in Gaza hospitals. She applied to get a permit to travel to Jerusalem to have it there, but she was denied entry under the pretext of her being a security threat to Israel. My 26-year-old sister was a security threat to Israel. A security threat.

We will soon have more information on the Gaza Blockade in the Key Issues section.