Ref: 105/2014
Date: 26 July 2014
Time: 12:00 GMT
On Friday, 25 July 2014, Israeli forces killed 2 paramedics of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and wounded 6 others in 2 separate incidents. Besides, an ambulance was burnt as a shell hit it directly, while another vehicle sustained damage due to heavy fire. Israeli forces also bombed Beit HanounHospital, due to which the hospital’s facilities sustained severe damage. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns the serious violations committed against Palestinian medical personnel and healthcare facilities. Such violations constitute war crimes according to the international humanitarian law. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949 and Additional Protocol I 1977 to compel the Israeli authorities to respect their legal obligations, stop their attacks against medical personnel and facilities and facilitate their movement to evacuate victims and offer first aid to patients and wounded persons in conformity with articles 14-23 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which guarantee the freedom of movement of medical personnel and vehicles and ensure protection offered to medical facilities, removal and transporting of and caring for wounded and sick civilians.
According to investigations conducted by PCHR, at approximately 16:30 on Friday, 25 July 2014, a PRCS ambulance headed to the entrance of al-Masryeen Street in the east of Beit Hanountown in the north of the Gaza Strip. The ambulance driver,Jawad Fayez Bedair (50), paramedic Hatem Shaheen (36) and paramedic Ayed Mahmoud Ahmed al-Bura’i (28) moved about 50 meters in the ambulance. Suddenly, Israeli forces that had moved into the area fired a shell at the ambulance, which caught fire. As a result, al-Bura’i was wounded and died immediately. Bedair and Shaheen, who sustained various wounds, were able to get out of the ambulance and run away to Beit HanounHospital. At approximately 17:30, another PRCS ambulance headed to the same place to transport al-Bura’i’s corpse. Paramedics Yosri al-Massri (45) and Rami al-Hajj Ali (35) were in the ambulance that moved following coordination viathe International Committee of Red Crescent (ICRC). When they approached the place, they were surprised by heavy fire against them. Rami al-Hajj Ali sustained a shrapnel wound to the left leg while the ambulance sustained damage as dozens of bullets hit it. The ambulance driver could escape with the ambulance and reach Beit HanounHospital.
A PCHR fieldworker reported that the Israeli forces that had moved into Beit Hanoun targeted Beit HanounHospital and its vicinity with several shells from 23:00 yesterday, until 08:00 today. As a result, severe damage was caused to the emergency department, administrative building, hospital stay and operation rooms. In addition, many shells landed on the hospital yards and 3workers in the hospital sustained wounds.
In a separate incident, at approximately 23:10, on Friday, Israeli forces that had moved into al-Qararah village in Khan Yunis opened fire at a PRCS ambulance that tried to transport a wounded disabled civilian from his house as ICRC coordinated the entry of the ambulance. Paramedic Mohammed Hassan al-Abadlah (32) sustained 2 bullet wounds to the thigh and leg. Communication with him was lost and he bled to death.
Since the beginning of the Israeli offensive on 08 July 2014, Israeli forces have directly targeted medical personnel, ambulances and medical facilities. According to PCHR’s information, Israeli forces have killed 4 medical personnel, including a civil defense member, and wounded 33 other paramedics while on duty. Moreover, 10 ambulances have been damaged, including 7 ones that were completely destroyed or became out of service due to the seriousness of the damage. About 20 healthcare societies have sustained serious damage because they have been targeted,including al-Wafa Hospital, east of Gaza City, which was completely destroyed.
PCHR strongly condemns the serious violations committed against Palestinian medical personnel and facilities, which constitutes war crimes according to the international humanitarian law. Furthermore, PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949 and Additional Protocol I, to compel the Israeli authorities to respect their legal obligations, stop their attacks against medical personnel and facilities and facilitate their movement to evacuate victims and offer first aid to patients and wounded persons.
PCHR calls upon the international community to compel the Israeli authorities to respect their legal obligations, stop their attacks against medical personnel and facilities and facilitate their movement to evacuate victims and offer first aid to patients and wounded persons in conformity with articles 14-23 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, which guarantee the freedom of movement of medical personnel and vehicles and ensure protection offered to medical facilities, removal and transporting of and caring for wounded and sick civilians.
