Ref: 62/2019

The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) issued a new report titled: “Israeli attacks against medical personnel at the Great March of Return (GMR)”. This report is the second of its kind which shed light on the Israeli occupying forces’ (IOF) attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip, especially those against the paramedics and the ambulances offering first aid and evacuating the wounded civilians at GMR. This report documented the numbers of the killings and injuries of paramedics, and medical transports that were affected by IOF at GMR.

This report shows the Israeli use of lethal force against on-duty medical personnel who posed no threat to the lives of Israeli soldiers during the protests along the Gaza Strip’s eastern border. This constitutes a serious violation of the international humanitarian law and International Human Rights Law. The report is in line with the United Nations Independent Commission of Inquiry on the Gaza protests report issued on 28 February 2019, which confirmed, “there is a probable cause to believe that Israeli snipers shot and injured journalists, paramedics, children and persons with disabilities.”

During the reporting period, (3) paramedics were killed despite clearly wearing a paramedic uniform, raising the total number of killed paramedics at GMR protests to (4), and (155) paramedics were wounded, including (33) women, raising the total to (255) wounded paramedics, including (38) women since the start of GMR. Additionally, IOF’s targeted attacks on medical transports and ambulances resulted in damaging (133) ambulances and obstructing the work of medical personnel.

PCHR calls upon the International Civil Society to take necessary procedures to stop the Israeli violations against the Palestinian civilians and the medical personnel in the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, PCHR calls upon the International Commission of the Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene quickly and provide protection for medical personnel in the Gaza Strip. This report stresses that Israel shall be held accountable and prosecuted by investigating with it into these crimes committed against Palestinian civilians participating in the Return March in addition to the ongoing attacks against Palestinian medical personnel.