Wednesday, Health care workers demonstrated in the Gaza Strip against Israeli forces’ systematic attacks against them. Israeli forces routinely contravene the Fourth Geneva Convention by preventing ambulances from reaching the injured, to pass checkpoints, by shooting and arresting ambulance drivers and medics, and by imposing restrictions on movement that prevent delivery of medical equipment.
Wednesday’s nonviolent demonstration walked from the center of Gaza City on Salah Ed Deen Street where Tuesday’s killings began. The Ministry of Health chose this spot out of respect for the families of the 11 Palestinians Israeli soldiers killed.
Banners called to protect the Palestinian people and medical crews from repeated Israeli attacks designed to disrupt the transfer of the wounded to inflict maximum casualties among Palestinian civilians.
The General Director of Ambulance and Emergency in the Ministry of Health said, “Crews, ambulances and emergency workers suffered yesterday the worst attack launched by the occupation forces as Israeli aircraft reconnaissance deliberately fired a missile towards Palestinian ambulance crews while performing their duty, killing four.”
He added, “The Ministry of Health and ambulance crews deplore all forms of the targeting and killing perpetrated by Israel against our people. This march affirms the unity and cohesion of the people around the Palestinian government. We hold the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the repeated crimes against our people.”
It is well documented that Israeli forces continue their repeated attacks against Palestinian medical crews while performing humanitarian work in ambulances and while transferring injured and killed Palestinians. Although today’s demonstration was in Gaza, medics in the northern West Bank city of Nablus are routinely attacked, stripped naked, shot, and arrested.
During the Gaza demonstration the Palestinian Ministry of Health called on the international community to support international law in stopping such Israeli crimes against humanity.
