Gaza City - Israel has blocked 80 doctors and health experts from participating in an international health conference in the Gaza Strip, saying that allowing the doctors entrance would allow them to help terrorists protest Israeli policy in the region.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) have criticized the decision, arguing that the conference had no political agenda and that the GCMHP is a neutral organization that gets its funding from the WHO and European Union.

The Israeli Defence Ministry justified its decision, saying that attendees planned to "demonstrate against Israel hand in hand with the Hamas terrorist organization."

The medical professionals were to attend a conference on mental problems and trauma treatment. WHO spokesman Tony Laurance said they will now participate via videoconference from Ramallah, which he called "extremely difficult." dpa