Israel halts medical care for assassinated Hamas militant’s relative

Israel halts care for dead militant’s relative

JERUSALEM — Israel says it has barred the cousin of a Hamas operative assassinated in Dubai from entering the country from the Gaza Strip for medical care, and the man’s doctors claim his life is now in danger.

Fifty-six-year-old Mohammed al-Mabhouh was diagnosed with heart failure symptoms more than a year ago and was permitted to enter Israel for treatment, most recently in December.

The following month, his cousin, senior Hamas figure Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, was assassinated in Dubai in a hit that authorities there blamed on Israel’s Mossad spy agency.

Since then, Mohammed al-Mabhouh has been barred from Israel.

Israeli security officials say al-Mabhouh is banned from entering because of “ties to terror activities.”