At approximately 11:30am on Wednesday 25 November 2009, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested the patient Ahmed Samer Asflour, 19, at Erez Crossing.
Asfour  and his father were on their way to Mar Yousif Hospital when the IOF arrested Ahmed.
The IOF thoroughly searched the father and his son and forced them to take off their clothes.
After long hours of interrogation, the IOF ordered the father to put on his clothes and to return to Gaza.
The IOF informed the father that they had arrested his son Ahmed.
The IOF confiscated three cell phones, 2500 USD, 1500 Israeli Shekels, medicine, passports, and Ahmed's medical report.
According to Al Mezan's field investigation, on 9 January 2009, Ahmed Asfour was injured when the IOF attacked a group of Palestinian people in the Abassan village during the Operation Cast Lead.
Another three persons were also injured in that attack.
Asfour received medical treatment at the Egyptian hospitals.
He underwent several surgeries and parts of his intestine were excised.
Ahmed's ulna bone was smashed, and a nerve in his hand was torn, his left-hand fingers were amputated, parts of his right hand skin were burnt.
Ahmed obtained a referral to Mar Yousif Hospital to reconnect the nerve and to transplant his elbow's as his medical treatment at Egyptian hospitals was not successful.
In his affidavit to Al Mezan, Ahmed's father said that on 23 November 2009 his son Ahmed obtained an appointment at Mar Yousif Hospital.
On 25 November 2009, he received a phone call from the Palestinian Coordination and Liaison Office telling him that he had obtained a permission to enter Israel as an escort for his sick son.
They also told that he should go to Erez.
When the father and his son arrived at Erez they were interrogated and searched.
The father was shocked when the IOF arrested his son and ordered him to return to Gaza.
The father also said that Ahmed's medical status was not stable and he received intensive medical treatment.
Ahmed also needs periodic medical tests and checks.
Ahmed needs a special care as he needs someone to feed him and to help him to go to the toilet.
Any delay in Ahmed's surgery could cause further deterioration of Ahmed's medical condition and could aggravate his suffering.
  Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights strongly condemns the Israeli arrest of Palestinian patients.
Al Mezan views this arrest as a continuation of Israel’s blackmail policy that the IOF practice against Palestinian patients.
This blackmail is a violation of patients’ rights and shows how the IOF blatantly disregard its legal obligations under international humanitarian law (IHL) and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
  Al Mezan calls on the IOF to promptly release Ahmed Asfour and to enable him to receive appropriate medical treatment.
Al Mezan holds the IOF responsible for Ahmed's life.
Al Mezan calls on the international community to immediately intervene to stop the Israeli systematic grave violations of the IHL and human rights.
Ends