Israel has decided to grant a humanitarian request from Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to permit treating his granddaughter, Amal Haniyeh, in Schneider Children’s Hospital in Petach Tikvah. The child underwent a barrage of diagnostic exams earlier in the week in an effort to save her life and he was then sent back to Gaza’s Shifa Hospital in the same condition she arrived.

The young patient passed the Erez Crossing on Shabbos afternoon 13 Kislev 5774 in critical condition, the result of a digestive tract disease. Israeli officials were aware the patient was a grandchild of Hamas’ prime minister, but permitted the humanitarian transport. The child arrived at Schneider Hospital in a state described as “clinically dead”.

After doctors decided there was nothing they could do to save the child’s life she was sent back to the Gaza hospital. Officials at Schneider explained that they cannot discuss the case due to patient confidentiality.

Interestingly, the child’s father and prime minister’s son, Abed el-Salim Haniyeh on Shabbos posted to his Facebook page that his child was heading to Israel for care. “Amal is now heading over to Israel. I call on god to give her health” read the Facebook posting. Ismail, the prime minister, visited the child in Gaza prior to setting out to Israel.

Back in 2012 Israel permitted the prime minister’s sister to enter with her husband to permit him to receive urgent medical care following a severe heart attack. He was treated in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah. That treatment was successful and the patient had a full recovery.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)