Gaza City – The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has issued a strong call for an independent international investigation after two of its paramedics were killed in an Israeli airstrike while on duty in Gaza. The incident has sparked renewed outrage over the rising number of medical workers targeted during Israel’s military campaign.
According to Al Jazeera, the two medics were killed on Sunday in central Gaza when their ambulance was hit during an Israeli bombing. The attack is the latest in a series of deadly incidents that have decimated Gaza’s health infrastructure and endangered frontline medical responders.
“Blatant Violation of International Humanitarian Law”
In a public statement, the PRCS said that targeting clearly marked medical vehicles and personnel constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law, particularly the Geneva Conventions, which protect medical workers in conflict zones.
“We demand an urgent and impartial international investigation into this crime,” the organization stated. “The lives of those who dedicate themselves to saving others must not be treated as expendable.”
The PRCS added that 29 of its staff members have been killed since the war began in October 2023, with dozens more injured or detained. Many were reportedly struck while responding to emergencies or evacuating the wounded.
Healthcare System on the Brink
Gaza’s healthcare system is facing unprecedented collapse. Repeated attacks on hospitals, ambulances, and medical warehouses have left the territory without enough functioning facilities, equipment, or staff to cope with the mass casualties.
Doctors Without Borders, the World Health Organization, and other humanitarian groups have echoed the PRCS’s call for accountability, urging the international community to ensure protection for all medical workers in Gaza.
Mounting Calls for Accountability
The Israeli military has yet to respond to the specific allegations but maintains that it targets “terrorist infrastructure.” Human rights organizations, however, argue that the pattern of strikes on medical personnel suggests either gross negligence or intentional targeting.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that more than 400 medical workers have been killed in Gaza since the conflict escalated, with many incidents still under investigation.
A Call to Action
Global leaders and international legal bodies are under increasing pressure to take concrete action to safeguard humanitarian workers. The PRCS and its partners are pushing for a formal inquiry by the International Criminal Court (ICC), citing growing evidence of war crimes.
