In an appalling development, Palestinian paramedics have been experiencing brutal humiliation and abuse at the hands of Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in the Gaza Strip. [1]
Mohammed Salah, a paramedic at the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS), vividly recounted the distressing events that transpired a week ago at the Jabalia ambulance centre as Zionist troops stormed the site with tanks and bulldozers.
He told colleagues at the PRCS,
“We were all humiliated, we were all beaten in sensitive areas and on our heads and backs.” [1]
Paramedics dehumanised
According to Salah, the IOF gained access to the medical complex by destroying the entrance and driving over ambulances, rendering them inoperable.
Salah recounted being singled out and called outside, only to face further dehumanisation when he was ordered to take off his clothes. Shortly afterwards, he was interrogated as to the number of people inside the hospital.
Following his initial ordeal, he and his colleagues were tied up and taken to a separate location. They were held in an obviously unsafe building, with shards of glass strewn across the floor.
They were then transferred to a van where they were made to sit for 6 hours with their hands tied behind their backs. The paramedics were also verbally abused by the Zionist soldiers.
“In addition to all this, the occupation forces assaulted our colleague, Mohammad Abu Rukbeh.
“He is wounded due to the aggression and has sustained burns in his legs; he will likely need a skin transplant as one of the occupation’s soldiers threw rocks at his legs.” [1]
Egregious violation of humanitarian principles
Since early October, occupation forces have continuously and indiscriminately targeted hospitals, medical facilities, ambulances, and paramedics throughout Gaza.
Such acts are war crimes under international law.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 164 attacks on hospitals throughout Gaza since 7 October. 26 of the 35 hospitals in Gaza have now been rendered out of commission due to being bombed or running out of fuel. [2]
Along with the Jabalia ambulance centre, many key hospitals such as al-Shifa and the Indonesian Hospital, have been bombed, invaded, and destroyed.
https://twitter.com/PalestineRCS/status/1740632254806626402This egregious violation of humanitarian principles raises clear questions about the conduct of Israeli occupation forces in their treatment of medical professionals who risk their lives to provide crucial assistance during times of conflict.
The incident not only highlights the physical destruction of essential medical infrastructure but also underscores the psychological trauma inflicted upon those dedicated to saving lives.
The Palestinian paramedics who endured this horrifying episode deserve more than sympathy; they demand justice for the abuses and a commitment to preventing future violations against those carrying out life-saving duties in areas such as Gaza.
Analysis
ANALYSIS
The brave testimony of paramedic Mohammed Salah is shocking to hear for anyone with an ounce of morality.
So where is the global outrage at this barbarism displayed by Israeli troops — who are, and this really must be emphasised — occupying more and more Palestinian land over the course of this genocidal campaign?
With the continued destruction of dozens of hospitals, it is clear that the Zionist regime is content to break every rule in the international law books, while crying wolf over the Hamas counteroffensive in early October.
As the narrative continues to become clear and the world sees through the misinformation and disinformation being spun by Israel, we need to keep the momentum, continue to cover such stories, and share them with friends, family, neighbours, colleagues, and others in our communities.
As the age-old saying goes, 'Rome was not built in a day', so the worst thing we can do is despair in the combined power of our individual efforts. Remember that collective change takes time, but it can be accomplished a lot quicker through working together and being united, having a shared identity as Muslims, and holding the same shared vision to strengthen the Ummah once again.
Source: Islam21c
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