The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) condemns in the strongest terms the grave crime committed by an undercover armed force disguised in civilian clothing that killed a journalist and wounded two others, including another journalist. The undercover force abducted a Palestinian health official after sustaining wounds and taking him to an area under the control of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.
Eyewitness testimonies collected by PCHR have confirmed IOF’s direct involvement in this crime as the perpetrators fled towards an area under IOF control, affirming that it was either an IOF’s special force, a Mista’arvim unit, or part of armed militia formed by IOF. By this, Israel entrenches the policy of enforced disappearance that has been systematically implemented by IOF over the past months. To date, no official or verified information has been released about the health official’s fate.
This crime is also part of a broader pattern where IOF have desecrated the health system in the Gaza Strip by killing 1,582 medical personnel and injuring and arresting hundreds more.
According to eyewitness accounts and information collected by PCHR, at around 12:00 on Monday, 21 July 2025, 4 armed individuals wearing civilian clothing raided Sea Castle Cafeteria, located opposite the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) field hospital on al-Rasheed Coastal Street in al-Mawasi, western Rafah. The assailants opened fire from guns they had on Dr. Marwan Shafiq ‘Ali al-Hams (53), Director of Abu Yousif al-Najjar Hospital in Rafah and the official assigned to oversee field hospitals in the Gaza Strip as well as Spokesperson of the Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH). As a result, Dr. Marwan was wounded in the leg while freelance photojournalist Tamer Rebhi Rafiq al-Za’anin (35) was killed and another photojournalist in UK’s Fourth Channel was wounded- his name is Ibrahim ‘Atef ‘Atiyah Abu ‘Asheibah (32). Moreover, MOH administrative employee Belal Fayez Jom’ah Barhoum (42) was seriously wounded. This crime occurred during the preparation of media content for a documentary being produced by photojournalist Tamer al-Za’anin in collaboration with Dr. Marwan al-Hams.
When the shooting occurred, people gathered in front of the Sea Castle Cafeteria to find out what was going on. The armed individuals falsely claimed that it was for family revenge, and then they put Dr. Marwan into a white vehicle with an open back that was waiting for them. The attackers pulled riffles from the vehicle, fired tens of bullets in the air and withdrew south along al-Rasheed Coastal Street toward al-‘Alam Square in Mawasi Rafah under IOF control.
The injured journalist, Ibrahim Abu ‘Asheibah (32) said to PCHR:
“At around 10:00, I was with my friend, freelance photojournalist Tamer al-Za’anin meeting Dr. Marwan al-Hams, Director of the Field Hospitals in the MOH, and Belal Barhoum, the administrative employee in Naser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. Tamer had arranged an appointment with Dr. Marwan to record a documentary on the work of Dr. Marwan and the MOH during the genocidal war. I was not involved in the documentary, and I was only accompanying my friend Tamer. We got into an ambulance driven by Belal Barhoum and headed to Mawasi Rafah. The ambulance then stopped at the ICRC field hospital and before entering it, Dr. Marwan and Tamer agreed to go to the beachfront cafeteria first opposite the ICRC field hospital. Ater walking to the beach for some time, we went back to the cafeteria, where there were only 4 or 5 individuals, mostly staff members. We sat down at a table. I do not remember what time it was exactly, but it was afternoon. While I was talking with Belal about coffee, I noticed 5 people going into the cafeteria and saying, ‘stand still and take your hands out of your pockets.’ At first, I thought it was a prank. I looked back to see them surrounding us and pointing their rifles at us. One of them was wearing a grey blouse and black cap. Within seconds, I heard two gunshots and then felt pain in my chest. I fell to the ground, and Belal Barhoum fell on me. I started losing consciousness and telling Belal I was bleeding. He responded, ‘Don’t talk and close your eyes.’ I then heard more gunfire before losing consciousness completely. This morning, Tuesday 21 July 2025, I regained consciousness and knew I was at Naser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. My brothers told me that I underwent two surgeries after being shot twice — once in the chest and once in my right hand, severing an artery and veins in my hand. I can no longer move it. I also learned from fellow journalists that Dr. Marwan al-Hams had been abducted, and that my friend, photojournalist Tamer Rebhi Rafiq al-Za’anin, was killed. Belal Barhoum was also seriously wounded and remains in the intensive care unit.”
This ongoing pattern of crimes reveals IOF’s use of gang-like methods in areas under their full control, including organized operations of abduction, enforced disappearance and summary executions.
PCHR holds IOF fully responsible for the life and safety of Dr. Marwan al-Hams and calls for the immediate disclosure of his whereabouts and his prompt release.
PCHR also calls on the international community to exert genuine pressure on Israel to stop these crimes, ensure the protection of medical and media personnel, halt the ongoing genocide and uphold the protection of Palestinian civilians.
Can you stand idly while doctors and journalists are being slaughtered and forcibly disappeared as they perform their humanitarian duties? As an international actor or decision-maker, you bear a direct responsibility to act urgently to save lives and stop Israel’s impunity that only encourages it to repeat its crimes.
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