Two British surgeons on a humanitarian mission to Gaza are undertaking hunger strikes until permitted access to the city from Egypt’s Rafah crossing.

Dr. Omar Mangoush, a heart surgeon from Hammersmith Hospital has been refused access daily since May 4th. He intends to establish a cardiac unit at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City where at present no such facility exists. He is part of a larger medical collective who are working in association with Palestine International Medical Aid (PIMA).

British reconstructive surgeon Dr. Sonia Robbins has been denied access to the region for more than fifty days, despite working in Gaza and the West Bank for many years and having numerous existing patients she is unable to reach. She is now embarking upon an indefinite hunger strike until access is granted.

Yael Kahn, Chair of Islington Friends of Yibna said: “The Home Office say it is down to the Egyptian authorities that they are unable to cross at Rafah, the Egyptian authorities are blaming the Home Office. It’s Kafkaesque.”

Ms. Kahn added that the group will picket David Milliband's home on Edis Street from 1-3pm this afternoon [24th May 2009].