Israel 'ups questioning of Gaza patients'

<snip>

"Israel's Shin Beth internal security service has increased its interrogations of people seeking to leave Hamas-run Gaza for medical treatment, a rights group said in a report on Monday.

Data collected by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel "indicates a rise in the number of Palestinian patients interrogated and forced to provide information as a precondition to exit Gaza for medical care," it said.

"Between January 2008 and March 2009, at least 438 patients have been summoned for... interrogations... as a precondition for the review of their applications for an exit permit for the purpose of accessing medical treatment outside of the strip," it said.

Whereas in January 2008, 1.45 percent of people who had submitted applications to Israeli authorities to leave Gaza were questioned, that number rose to 17 percent in January 2009, the group said.

It said the Shin Beth had interrogated minors, photographed patients against their will; harassed, cursed and intimidated patients during questioning; and returned to Gaza patients who did not cooperate.

People seeking to leave Gaza for medical treatment find themselves "between a rock and a hard place" as they also face pressure from the Hamas rulers of Gaza, the group said."

more