Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor: The occupation continues to destroy the rest of the health system in Gaza Strip

The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor confirmed that the Israeli occupation continues to destroy the rest of the run-down health system in the stricken Gaza Strip through continued shelling and shooting at hospitals, ambulances and medical staff, as its aggression enters its fifth month.

In a report published today, the Monitor documented several Israeli attacks over the past days, which have disrupted the partial return of hospital work, especially in and north of Gaza City, as part of the systematic and widespread aggression against the health sector since October 7.

In this regard, the Monitor noted the documentation of the crime of killing a Palestinian Red Crescent paramedic and the injury of two other paramedics as a result of direct shooting by occupation snipers in Gaza City yesterday during a mission to evacuate the wounded from the city’s hospitals to the south.

The Monitor pointed out that the occupation bombed a building in Al-Shifa Medical Complex, which led to the martyrdom of five displaced people, stressing that the raids and shelling against the complex and its surroundings will completely put it out of service.

As for the situation of hospitals in southern Gaza Strip, the Monitor explained that the occupation forces have been besieging and targeting al-Amal Hospital and Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, which are almost out of operation, since the 22nd of last month. They also stormed into Al-Khair Hospital west of Khan Younis camp, killed a number of patients and displaced people who were inside it and arrested others, and forced the rest, including patients, to leave in poor health.

The Monitor confirmed the loss of members of an ambulance team from the Red Crescent that was heading to rescue a child, and the arrest of two other volunteers in the Crescent when they passed one of the military occupation checkpoints near Al-Amal Hospital, in addition to the fact that they are still arresting more than 100 medical staff, including the directors of 3 hospitals.

The Euro-Mediterranean Monitor condemned the flagrant violations of international law carried out and still being carried out by “Israel” against medical personnel, hospitals, ambulances and the process of transporting the wounded and sick, although they all enjoy special protection under international humanitarian law, especially the Geneva Conventions.

The Monitor called for an urgent independent international investigation into the war crimes and serious violations committed by the occupation in a systematic and widespread manner against hospitals, medical personnel and medical transport means in Gaza Strip, and to hold the perpetrators accountable before the International Criminal Court and the competent international courts.

Amal Farhat