Qalqilia City is encircled by the Wall, exacerbating restrictions on freedom of movement under occupation. Last night Rashid Omar needed to go to the hospital. The 21 year old was seriously injured in an auto accident in Azzum Al Atma, 10 kilometers south of Qalqilia. Upon arriving at the Israeli-imposed gate to the city, soldiers refused to allow him passage.

Azzum Al Atma, with a population of 1,500,  is one of dozens of Palestinian villages that were shut off from the northwestern West Bank's Qalqilia when Israeli forces surrounded the city with the Wall over two years ago. And many of the villages themselves are only passable through a system of gates.

Omar was clearly injured as he was rushed to the gate on Sunday evening. However the Israeli soldiers were unmoved. After a long period of procrastination the young man was allowed to be passed through the gate. He was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late.

Abu Zaki of Qalqilia was among those involved in the transport. He told PNN, “Going anywhere at night is dangerous for Palestinians.” Israeli forces dot cities and villages with sniper towers, jeeps that suddenly appear, checkpoints and military installations. “The family was so worried and waiting for news. But the obstruction at the gate aggravated his injuries and he just could not hold on.”

Also in Qaliqila is a crossing into Israeli boundaries. A 60 year old zoo official and resident of Azzun Al Atma needed to go to an Israeli hospital for specific treatment in Kfar Saba due to his age. However, Israeli forces refused to allow him to pass the Northern Crossing despite his obvious injuries. He too was injured at night.

The village is hemmed in by the gate system that turns nighttime into a literal prison. The chances of getting Israeli soldiers to unlock a gate, if they are there at all, are much more slim after dark than during the day. People cannot move whether or not there is a life threatening emergency. The village issued a collective call to international humanitarian institutions to compel the Israeli authorities to cease hindering movement, particularly of emergency cases when enroute to hospitals.