Israeli forces arrested 44 Palestinians, including four patients, 30 merchants and 10 others, at Erez crossing during 2015, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights said on Thursday.

In a press release, the center said the Israeli forces continued to arrest Palestinian patients and their relatives who try to cross the borders to reach West Bank hospitals.

The statement said a Palestinian citizen, Maher Abdel Fattah, 53, was arrested on Wednesday at the crossing while accompanying his sick wife to a hospital in West Bank.

The center condemned such Israeli violations as well as prevention or delay of Palestinians' requests to cross the borders to reach hospitals in West Bank and al Quds city.

The center also urged the international community to press on Israel to respect international humanitarian law and human rights and lift its tight siege on Gaza Strip.

Source: MENA