Egypt: Palestinian patients from Gaza forcibly evicted from homes, hospitals

Dozens of injured Palestinians receiving treatment in Egypt are being forced out of hospitals and social housing, casualties have told The New Arab’s sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed.

Patients and their families said that medical staff and housing supervisors only informed them of these eviction orders in recent days, prompting a state of panic in the community.

Now, Palestinians in Cairo are being faced with homelessness or being forced to search for alternative housing in other parts of Egypt, despite receiving treatment form hospitals in the capital.

Among the Palestinians faced with this ordeal are those dealing with amputations or suffering from grave illnesses such as cancer and kidney failure –making it impossible for them to search for alternative accommodation. 

Vulnerable individuals such women, children, the elderly and those who are wheelchair-bound are also being forced to abandon their homes and medical treatment.

They told the Arabic-language daily that the situation is "life-threating," and adds further to their suffering after enduring horrors and atrocities at the hands of Israel during the war.

One Palestinian said: "I was surprised by the eviction decision after the expiration of my one-year residency period, despite the ongoing war and the closure of the Rafah crossing. This effectively left us on the street without a suitable alternative."

"Officials suggested that this alternative be in Assiut Governorate in Upper Egypt, where we don't know anyone. This is a place far from our treatment centres and the doctors who monitor our health conditions, which directly threatens our lives."

Other patients in hospitals such as Heliopolis and Ain Shams University, and other healthcare facilities in Cairo confirmed that they had received orders to vacate their rooms, after authorities informed them that their residency permits had expired.

One activist, who requested anonymity, said the social housing evictions are largely linked to those in charge of the scheme, rather than politicians.

He also pointed out that even those living in private accommodation and unable to pay rent are being subjected to such evictions.

"Families are torn apart; a father might accompany a sick child in a hospital in Cairo, while a mother will have to remain with another injured child in a different hospital, meaning they can’t be together," he said.

The activist also criticised the poor quality of healthcare Palestinians in Egypt are receiving, while those who managed to get treatment in countries such as Turkey, Qatar and the UAE "are in much better conditions".

Video clips shared on social media sites showed sick and injured Palestinians appealing to the Egyptian government over their ordeal. Another clip showed one Palestinian patient showing her family’s belongings thrown in the street, after she was expelled from a hospital in Heliopolis.

While the vast majority of the Egyptian population sympathises with the Palestinian cause, the repressive atmosphere in the country means that any display of this, through protests or other methods, is almost impossible.