Conjoined twins born in Gaza need to leave the blockaded enclave for treatment crucial to their survival, their doctor and a family member said.
The two girls, who are joined at the abdomen, were born in the Palestinian territory on Saturday.
But Dr Allam Abu Hamda, head of the neonatal unit at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital said the girls’ complicated condition ‘cannot be dealt with in the Gaza Strip, so we hope they will be transferred abroad for a separation.’
Conjoined twins, pictured, born in Gaza need to leave the blockaded enclave for treatment crucial to their survival, their doctor has said
The two girls, who are joined at the abdomen, were born in the Palestinian territory on Saturday
The twins have one shared leg, but separate hearts and lungs. Their condition is believed to be stable
An uncle who preferred not to be named said: ‘We hope they can leave to do what is necessary for their rare conditions.’
Dr Abu Hamda said the US, Saudi Arabia or Israel could be potential transfer destinations for the twins.
He told The Times of Israel: ‘We need anyone to accept them as soon as possible. We are looking to help these twins.’
Conjoined twins that share key organs have low chances of survival.
The twins, whose condition Dr Abu Hamda said was stable, have one shared leg, but separate hearts and lungs.
A Palestinian nurse tends to the one-day-old conjoined twins. Conjoined twins occur around once in every 200,000 live births
Dr Abu Hamda said the US, Saudi Arabia or Israel could be potential transfer destinations for the twins
Conjoined twins born in Gaza in November 2016 later died.
Israel has maintained a blockade of the enclave for a decade, citing security fears over Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas.
In 2010 conjoined twins from Gaza were transferred to Saudi Arabia for surgery to separate them, but doctors in Riyadh said their condition was too delicate to operate and they died.