IHL Trampled On As Attacks Continue Against Medical Teams

 By: Raed Al Nims

Israeli occupation forces continue to infringe the rules of International Humanitarian Law which forbid the targeting of medical and humanitarian missions during wars and conflicts.

On the 21st of July, a PRCS’ team of paramedics was directly targeted by Israeli soldiers near the cemetery in east Jabalia as unarmed young Palestinians clashed with the Israeli army. Ala’ Abou Shaeer (33) is a PRCS’ paramedic who related the incident as follows: “We assisted eight casualties who suffered from suffocation and lost consciousness when soldiers fired tear gas canisters at them. Soldiers then fired a tear gas canister directly at the back of our ambulance. At first, we thought it was accidental.  However, a few minutes later, a soldier who was standing 200 meters away from us fired another tear gas canister directly at me as I was providing emergency care to another casualty. It hit my left shoulder and I lost consciousness. The canister left a huge bruise and burns. I also sustained a muscle tear. Soldiers targeted me despite my PRCS’ uniform and at close range. This was not an unintentional act”.

Mohamad Makawi (37), a volunteer paramedic, said: “When Ala’ was hit, I carried him with another paramedic to the ambulance. He was unconscious. We had barely made it to the ambulance when the soldiers fired a third tear gas canister which hit one of the ambulance’s windows before exploding. Tear gas fumes filled the ambulance and we all started coughing badly. I told the driver to drive away quickly as it became obvious that the soldiers will not let us carry out our humanitarian duty that day”.

According to Youssef Abdel Hamid, Director of the EMS Center in Jabalia, “Israeli soldiers have always targeted ambulances and medical crews, putting their lives in harm’s way. This constitutes a blatant violation of IHL provisions and of all conventions which guarantee the protection and safety of medical missions in the field. Their actions hinder our work and prevent us from providing assistance and transportation to the wounded” 

In addition to targeting unarmed Palestinians, Israeli soldiers also deliberately hinder the work of emergency medical teams, leading to more casualties amongst civilians, paramedics and medical missions. Since 2000, PRCS has lost 20 staff and volunteers who were directly targeted by soldiers, including martyrs Mohamad Al Abadleh and A’ed Al Bura’i who fell during the 2014 war on the Gaza Strip.

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