Gaza conjoined twins ‘need life saving treatment abroad’
Image copyright AFP Image caption Medics say one of the baby girls is weaker than her sibling
The lives of a pair of conjoined twins are in jeopardy unless they are able to leave the Palestinian territory of Gaza, their doctor has warned.
Shifa Hospital’s Alam Abu Hamda said the “complicated condition” of the baby girls could not be dealt with by medics in Gaza.
He said the hope was that they can be transferred abroad for a separation.
The girls are joined at the abdomen and lower-body. Born on Saturday, one is reported to be weaker than the other.
The twins have one shared leg, but separate hearts and lungs. Conjoined twins that share key organs generally have lower chances of survival.
“Their lives are in danger, it’s a complicated case,” Dr Abu Hamda was quoted by The Times of Israel as saying.
He said that while the condition of one of the twins was “ok”, her sibling was “suffering” and required ventilation.
Image copyright AFP Image caption The girls urgently need to be transferred abroad for treatment, medics say
“The quicker they are transferred abroad, the better their chances are to be saved,” he said.
The Israeli military body responsible for co-ordinating access to and from Gaza, Cogat, said it had not received any request for the twins to exit the territory.
Dr Abu Hamda said options for treatment included Israel, the US or Saudi Arabia.
Conjoined twins born in November 2016 in Gaza later died.
Israel and Egypt have been blockading the enclave for a decade because of the threat of attack from militants.
