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Document - Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories: Evidence of medical workers and facilities being targeted by Israeli forces in Gaza
image1.png AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

PUBLIC STATEMENT
Index: MDE 15/023/2014
7 August 2014
Evidence of medical workers and facilities being targeted by Israeli forces in Gaza

Testimonies from doctors, nurses, and ambulance workers who have spoken to Amnesty International paint a disturbing picture of hospitals and health professionals coming under attack by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip, where at least six medics have been killed. There is growing evidence that health facilities or professionals have been targeted in some cases.

Since Israel launched Operation “Protective Edge” on 8 July, the Gaza Strip has been under intensive bombardment from the air, land and sea, severely affecting the civilian population there. As of 5 August, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 1,814 Palestinians had been killed in the Gaza Strip, 86 per cent of them civilians. More than 9,400 people have been injured, many of them seriously. An estimated 485,000 people across the Gaza Strip have been displaced, and many of them are taking refuge in hospitals and schools.

Amnesty International has received reports that the Israeli army has repeatedly fired at clearly marked ambulances with flashing emergency lights and paramedics wearing recognizable fluorescent vests while carrying out their duties. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, at least six ambulance workers, and at least 13 other aid workers, have been killed as they attempted to rescue the wounded and collect the dead. At least 49 doctors, nurses and paramedics have been injured by such attacks; at least 33 other aid workers were also injured. At least five hospitals and 34 clinics have been forced to shut down due to damage from Israeli fire or continuing hostilities in the immediate area.

Hospitals across the Gaza Strip suffer from fuel and power shortages (worsened by the Israeli attack on Gaza’s only power plant on 29 July), inadequate water supply, and shortages of essential drugs and medical equipment. The situation was acute before the current hostilities, due to Israel’s seven-year blockade of Gaza, but have been seriously exacerbated since.

Amnesty International has repeatedly called on Israel to immediately end the blockade on the Gaza Strip, which is collectively punishing the entire population of Gaza, in breach of Israel’s obligations under international humanitarian and human rights law.

Amnesty International is aware of reports that Palestinian armed groups have fired indiscriminate rockets from near hospitals or health facilities, or otherwise used these facilities or areas for military purposes. Amnesty International has not been able to confirm any of these reports. While the use of medical facilities for military purposes is a severe violation of international humanitarian law, hospitals, ambulances and medical facilities are protected and their civilian status must be presumed. Israeli attacks near such facilities – like all other attacks during the hostilities – must comply with all relevant rules of international humanitarian law, including the obligation to distinguish between civilians and civilian objects and military targets, the obligation that attacks must be proportional and the obligation to give effective warning. Hospitals and medical facilities must never be forced to evacuate patients under fire.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset ... 014en.html

Hamas hides rockets there, too.

But, who cares..bomb the hospitals, bomb the schools, bomb everything.

Mostly, target families, friends and neighbors of Hamas members..even before they themselves are targeted.

The best moment in the Iraq war, was when Husay and Qusay were killed, while Saddam Hussein was still alive.

GFB wrote:Hamas hides rockets there, too.

But, who cares..bomb the hospitals, bomb the schools, bomb everything.

Mostly, target families, friends and neighbors of Hamas members..even before they themselves are targeted.

The best moment in the Iraq war, was when Husay and Qusay were killed, while Saddam Hussein was still alive.

In Iraq they refer to Sadam's regime as "the good old days".

planosteve wrote:

GFB wrote:Hamas hides rockets there, too.

But, who cares..bomb the hospitals, bomb the schools, bomb everything.

Mostly, target families, friends and neighbors of Hamas members..even before they themselves are targeted.

The best moment in the Iraq war, was when Husay and Qusay were killed, while Saddam Hussein was still alive.

In Iraq they refer to Sadam's regime as "the good old days".

You made that up.

All this stops when Hamas stops launching rockets! Like Netanyahu said, "when Hamas puts down their weapons there will be peace, when Israel puts down their weapons, there will be no Israel!". I think he is right!

dublusk wrote:All this stops when Hamas stops launching rockets! Like Netanyahu said, "when Hamas puts down their weapons there will be peace, when Israel puts down their weapons, there will be no Israel!". I think he is right!

Rockets are Weapons! Well, occasionally they may wing a bird or something?

you have to remember, some people believe the world would be a better place if there were no Israel, no Jews.

planosteve wrote:

dublusk wrote:All this stops when Hamas stops launching rockets! Like Netanyahu said, "when Hamas puts down their weapons there will be peace, when Israel puts down their weapons, there will be no Israel!". I think he is right!

Rockets are Weapons! Well, occasionally they may wing a bird or something?

Oh, so they're deliberately choosing weapons that miss the target a lot.

What nice people..no WONDER you like Hamas so much, Steve.

I can't believe I thought it was because these are the best weapons these scum, loser, dead ender, POS, lowest crawling rats on the face of the earth had available thanks to the incredible hard work of the Israelis..keeping better weapons out of their hands.

..silly me!

kent wrote:you have to remember, some people believe the world would be a better place if there were no Israel, no Jews.

Well, no Israel at least according to a lot of Jews.

Hamas charter

The Preamble to the Charter states: ″Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam invalidates it, just as it invalidated others before it″.

Sangersteve wrote:Hamas charter

The Preamble to the Charter states: ″Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam invalidates it, just as it invalidated others before it″.

That may be what Kissinger meant.

I like this quote:

"We use missiles to protect our people. They (Hamas) use their people to protect their missiles," -Netanyahu

Good, I hope Israel blows the crap out of all of em.

FlashM wrote:I like this quote:

"We use missiles to protect our people. They (Hamas) use their people to protect their missiles," -Netanyahu

Actually, Hamas doesn't have any missiles. And I'm still looking for the Israeli death toll from their rockets. Or an injury. Or just an "ouchie".

OK . . . ZERO Israeli casualties.

Now what?

BigTex wrote:OK . . . ZERO Israeli casualties.

Now what?

you made PS sad with that one.