<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[Occupied Palestine | فلسطين]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[occupiedpalestine]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://occupiedpalestine.wordpress.com/author/hajarhajar/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Gazan Thalassemic Children Plead For&nbsp;Life]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p><strong>By Saleh Jadallah</strong> | <strong>Bernama | Aug 3, 2011</strong></p>
<p>GAZA STRIP, Aug 3 (Bernama) &#8212; Palestinian children infected with Thalassemia have called on the international community and human rights organisations to exert pressure on Israel to end its blockade imposed on Gaza since 2007.</p>
<p>The Gaza-based ministry of health reported that 75 children are facing a death risk due to shortage of 25 items of drugs needed for Thalassemic patients.</p>
<p>t further pointed out that the ministry lacked 23 items of medical disposals.</p>
<p>Thalassemic patient Wala Mosleh, 11, appealed to the international community to put an immediate end to the medicine crisis.</p>
<p>The girl, who has been suffering from Thalassemi for seven years, visits the hospital twice a week to receive sufficient blood because of chronic blood loss.</p>
<p>&#8220;We demand our legitimate right to treatment. We are facing slow death&#8230;if we do not receive the medicines, we will die slowly. Where is justice in this world?,&#8221; the girl asked Bernama.</p>
<p>Some of the Thalassemic children held a press conference with the ministry officials to highlight their deteriorating health. The children held banners in Arabic which read: &#8220;You are having headache because you are fasting during Ramadan. I have chronic headache.&#8221;</p>
<p>A 14-year-old Palestinian boy, Salah Al-Khaldi, another Thalassemic patient, said his situation was getting worse while the medicine crisis prolonged.</p>
<p>&#8220;The blockade is unfair. Where are the human rights organisations? Is it not a crime to leave us to face death?,&#8221; he asked.</p>
<p>Ministry official Ashraf Al-Kedra told the media that thousands of Gazan patients faced imminent death.</p>
<p>Sparing medicines for only urgent cases, he noted that the ministry had to reduce the number of surgeries.</p>
<p>Recently, three of five Palestinian newborn twins born in the blockaded Gaza died while the other two newborns are in desperate need for precise care to save their lives.</p>
<p>&#8212; BERNAMA</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p><a href="http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=605869">Source</a></p>
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