Occupation Forces use PRCS ambulances as a shield for its soldiers

On March 30, 2023, Israeli occupation forces committed a serious and clear violation of IHL by using a PRCS ambulance as a shield for its soldiers in Tulkarem. During the raid on the city, Israeli occupation forces ordered PRCS emergency medical personnel to enter the EMS station and stay there. Afterward, soldiers hid behind a PRCS ambulance, fixed their weapons near its front windshield, used it as a shield for protection and fired from behind it. As a result, the ambulance’s windshield was smashed, in addition to other damages to its body.

PRCS views these repeated violations by the occupation forces with great seriousness, and rejects the use of its ambulances for military purposes, emphasizing the prohibition under IHL of putting the lives of EMT’s in danger or using medical vehicles and facilities as shields. PRCS stresses IHL prohibition of the use of civilians and civilian objects as shields to protect military operations or to attempt to shield military objectives from attacks.

PRCS calls on the ICRC and the international community, to ensure that Israel, the occupying power, adheres to IHL provisions and customs and respects them, and put an end to these serious and repeated practices, and to Israeli occupation authorities impunity.