Khalid, 36 years old from Gaza city, has end stage kidney failure. For 16 years, he has been dependent on weekly haemodialysis
(a procedure to remove waste and water from the blood, to perform the function of healthy kidneys).
In late 2022, Khalid required referral out of Gaza for vascular surgery so that he would be able to keep having lifesaving haemodialysis. Despite repeated surgeries in Gaza, doctors were unable to establish the vascular access needed for the procedure. At Makassed Hospital in east Jerusalem, Khalid was to receive an artificial blood vessel graft.
In total, Khalid made six permit applications to Israeli authorities. He was never approved a permit to reach Makassed Hospital but was instructed to change the destination and arrange a hospital appointment in Jordan after several appeals through human rights organizations and advocacy by the UN and partners. As of April 2023, Khalid was awaiting financial coverage from the Palestinian Ministry of Health for an appointment at a hospital in Jordan.
Table 1: Khalid’s hospital appointments, intended hospital destination, and permit outcomes
