The Gaza headquarters of The Qatari Red Crescent Society, a medical and humanitarian aid organization was targeted today in an Israeli air strike, according to the Doha News Agency.
The director of QRCS in Gaza, Akram Nassar gave a statement on which was posted on Twitter:
“Great destruction in our office as a result of the Israeli warplanes targeting two floors of the same building opposite to the MoH (Ministry of Health), which is the Ghazi Al Shawa building”
It was unclear if there were any casualties at of the time of this article.
The Qatari News Agency reported, “Qatar Red Crescent Society (QRCS) works to help and empower vulnerable individuals and communities without partiality or discrimination. QRCS is an active member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, which comprises the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), and a network of National Societies in 190 countries.”
On their website, the QRCS mission statement begins with:
“‘Saving Lives and Preserving Dignity’ is the slogan that QRCS adopts for its strategy, reflecting its ambition and aim to be an inspiration for important but realistic change. This strategy is different from its predecessors because it represents a wider humanitarian reality and an organization that has grown in capabilities and stature. QRCS’s distinctive status enables it to work, collaborate, initiate, and lead the way for improvement of the humanitarian situation worldwide.”
Attacks on medical facilities and personnel are a direct violation of international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention.
In addition to targeting the Red Crescent Society, the Israeli Airforce also bombed the Palestinian Ministry of Health (which is the main source of information on casualties in the Gaza Strip) and the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund on Tuesday.
