The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed four Red Crescent Society paramedics by directly targeting and striking their ambulance vehicle.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced that six Palestinians were killed in an Israeli bombing of its ambulance in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, including four of the society’s crews.
On Wednesday, January 10, 2024, the International Red Crescent Society strongly condemned the killing of the four paramedics and stated that “We are devastated to hear that close colleagues from the Palestine Red Crescent Society medics have been killed while performing their life-saving work in Deir al-Balah in Gaza”, describing what happened as “unacceptable”.
The committee added in a statement published on X that “the ambulance team in Gaza worked relentlessly in horrific conditions to reduce the suffering of the wounded and sick in Gaza over the last three months.”
“Together with the PRCS, we mourn the loss of these lifesaving staff members… We offer our sincere condolences to their family members”, it added.
PRCS pointed out that “international humanitarian law is clear. Medical personnel should never lose their lives while providing support to their community.”
“We condemn any attack on health care workers, and all parties to this conflict must respect the humanitarian missions of the Palestine Red Crescent Society and other first responders”, it concluded.
Those killed are ambulance driver Yousef Abu Muammar, paramedic Fadi Al-Maani, first responder Islam Abu Riala, and volunteer photographer Fouad Abu Khammash, in addition to two casualties who were wounded in the ambulance vehicle and were killed as a result of the targeting.”
The IOF has targeted many medical facilities and ambulances during the war on Gaza. At first, it mainly targeted the medical facilities in the north and centre of the Gaza Strip, then moved to the south as the scope of the aggression expanded.
Since the start of the war of extermination by the Israeli occupation on the Gaza Strip on October 7; The number of medical personnel killed has risen to 330 doctors, nurses, and paramedics, 45 civil defence crews were also killed, 30 hospitals and 53 health centres were out of service, 150 health institutions were partially destroyed, and 121 ambulances were completely destroyed.
It should be noted that hospitals and health facilities are considered civilian places and have special protection in international humanitarian law or the “law of war,” and according to international law hospitals must be respected and protected and neither be targeted, nor their staff should be targeted.
