Israeli strike on ambulance convoy in Gaza kills 15, wounds 60
An Israeli airstrike on a convoy of ambulances in Gaza on Friday killed 15 people and injured at least 60.
The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) said the attack occurred about 4pm local time near the Al-Shifa Hospital when the five ambulances were transporting the casualties from Gaza towards the Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
According to PRCS, the convoy encountered a path blocked by rubble and debris en route to Rafah and was forced to turn back to the hospital; that was when the first missile hit the ambulance leading the convoy less than 1km away from the territory’s largest hospital.
While the other ambulances continued their journey towards the hospital, a second ambulance was targeted by a direct missile strike, just about 2m from the hospital gate, PRCS said in a statement.
According to reports, the hospital was crowded with civilians when the attack occurred.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus took to X (formerly known as Twitter), to express his “utter shock” and condemn the attack.
“We reiterate - patients, health workers, facilities, and ambulances must be protected at all times, always,” he said.
The Israeli Defence Force confirmed the attack but claimed that Hamas fighters were in the ambulance.
World Health Organization (WHO) director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus took to X (formerly known as Twitter), to express his “utter shock” and condemn the attack.
“We reiterate - patients, health workers, facilities, and ambulances must be protected at all times, always,” he said.
The Israeli Defence Force confirmed the attack but claimed that Hamas fighters were in the ambulance.
“In response, an IDF aircraft struck and neutralised the Hamas terrorists who were operating within the ambulance.
“We emphasise that this area in Gaza is a war zone. Civilians are repeatedly called upon to evacuate southward for their own safety,” the IDF said on X.
WHO said that Al-Shifa, which is the largest hospital in Gaza, is facing severe overcrowding, with a bed occupancy rate of 164 percent, amid Israel’s continuing bombardment and blockade of the territory.
At least 16 hospitals across Gaza are no longer functioning due to damage from bombing and a lack of fuel, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.
Fuel shortage
On Wednesday, WHO warned that the fuel shortage “immediately risks the lives” of the wounded and other patients.
According to Palestinian authorities, more than 9,200 people have been killed and 23,500 others wounded in Gaza since Israel launched a bombardment of the territory on Oct 7, according to Palestinian authorities.
The Israeli assault on Gaza came after Hamas fighters killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, in an attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli officials.
“We emphasise that this area in Gaza is a war zone. Civilians are repeatedly called upon to evacuate southward for their own safety,” the IDF said on X.
WHO said that Al-Shifa, which is the largest hospital in Gaza, is facing severe overcrowding, with a bed occupancy rate of 164 percent, amid Israel’s continuing bombardment and blockade of the territory.
At least 16 hospitals across Gaza are no longer functioning due to damage from bombing and a lack of fuel, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.
Fuel shortage
On Wednesday, WHO warned that the fuel shortage “immediately risks the lives” of the wounded and other patients.
According to Palestinian authorities, more than 9,200 people have been killed and 23,500 others wounded in Gaza since Israel launched a bombardment of the territory on Oct 7, according to Palestinian authorities.
The Israeli assault on Gaza came after Hamas fighters killed at least 1,400 people, mostly civilians, in an attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli officials.
Israeli occupation forces on Friday night bombed a United Nations Refugee and Works Agency (UNRWA) school in al-Saftawy area, north of the Gaza Strip, where thousands of displaced people are seeking shelter.
The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Israeli warplanes shelled the Osama Bin Zaid School, killing and injuring dozens of people.
Footages and photos showed the bodies of the victims torn into pieces due to the airstrike.
Local sources revealed that the occupation directly targeted the school, with thousands of displaced people seeking shelter inside.
Unreasonable demands
Meanwhile, the US said that Hamas is trying to get its wounded fighters into Egypt through the Rafah gate - delaying efforts to get Americans and other foreign nationals out of Gaza.
A senior Biden administration official was quoted telling by the New York Times that Hamas was making unreasonable demands, including providing to Israel, the US, and Egypt a list of Palestinians who had been wounded and should be allowed to depart Gaza with the Americans and others.
However, vetting has shown that almost a third on the list provided were Hamas fighters, said the report.
It is worth noting that at the same time, the US is also involved in negotiations with Hamas for the release of Americans and other foreign nationals, assisted by representatives from the government of Qatar.
The parties involved eventually settled on a list of wounded Palestinians who are not Hamas fighters to exit Gaza, said the report. It is these civilians who got caught in the middle of fighting, it added.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/20/revealed-how-russia-deliberately-targeted-kherson-hospitals
ReplyDeleteRussia has repeatedly attacked civilian hospitals in Ukraine, yet most of the countries around the world have chosen to support Russia's excuses or claimed they are neutral.
"We have no Interest in this war" .
So ..fuck.. I have no interest in the Gaza war.
So WHY r u supporting the mfering Zionists?
DeleteSelectivity mah!