Hamas to ban foreign passport holders from leaving Gaza if wounded Palestinians fail to enter Egypt for treatment: source

GAZA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) will ban foreign passport holders from leaving the Gaza Strip if injured Palestinians from the northern part of the enclave are not allowed to reach Egyptian hospitals for treatment via the Rafah border crossing, a Palestinian security source said on Saturday.

"All concerned parties must intervene to coordinate the exit of the wounded from Gaza hospitals towards the Rafah crossing for treatment in Egyptian hospitals," the security source, who wished to remain anonymous, told Xinhua.

Without such a measure being taken, Hamas said no foreign passport holders would be allowed to leave the Gaza Strip, the source added.

The Hamas announcement came amid media reports saying that the Gaza-ruling Palestinian group was trying to send wounded fighters out of Gaza through the Rafah border crossing. The New York Times quoted anonymous U.S. government official as saying on Friday that Hamas had provided to Israel, the United States and Egypt with a list of Palestinians who were injured and should be allowed to enter Egypt, and the list included the names of Hamas fighters.

The announcement followed Israeli airstrikes on an ambulance convoy on Friday.

The Hamas-run health ministry said the ambulances carrying patients were on their way to the Rafah border crossing to exit Gaza for treatment.

Ambulances carrying 30 wounded people were targeted in three locations, one of which was near the gate of al-Shifa hospital, according to Mohammed Abu Silmeia, the director of the Hospital.

He added that other Israeli attacks on ambulances took place in the Ansar area and places near Al-Rashid Street, west of Gaza City.

At least 13 Palestinians were killed in the airstrikes, he said. ■