November 11, 2007

GAZA, (PIC)-- The 31-year-old mother Aida Abdul Al has died of cancer after doctors could not provide necessary chemotherapy for her condition and she could not travel abroad due to the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, medical sources said on Sunday.

Zakaria Abdul Al, her husband, told the popular anti-sanctions committee that his wife died on Saturday evening after lack of necessary medication for her treatment.

He said that his wife's breast cancer was detected early this year and she traveled to Egypt where she had the necessary treatment and doctors managed to control the disease. Aida returned to Gaza in a stable condition but she could not have her second stage of chemotherapy, Zakaria elaborated.

He affirmed that he tried to find a way to transfer his wife for treatment abroad for the past three months but to no avail, and the cancer spread in her body until she died yesterday.

The deceased is survived by five sons and two daughters with the youngest being only ten months old and the oldest 12 years old.

The anti-sanctions committee warned of the deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the Strip and the possible death of dozens of similar cases due to the siege and the shortage of necessary medicines.

The committee asked the "free world" to step in and break the siege imposed on Gaza and to save its residents before it is too late. The committee asked for the immediate opening of crossings to allow travel of patients infected with serious diseases and to allow the entry of necessary medications.