GENEVA:
The World Well being Group complained on Tuesday in regards to the Israeli detention of a medical rescue convoy within the Gaza Strip, saying one affected person had died throughout an evacuation held up by troops who detained and abused a Purple Crescent employees member.
In a publish on the X social media platform, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated a WHO-led mission to convey provides in and evacuate sufferers from the final partly functioning hospital in northern Gaza was stopped in each instructions by Israelis.
We obtained higher element on Saturday’s high-risk @WHO-led mission in #Gaza to Al-Ahli Hospital. We’re deeply involved about extended checks and detention of well being staff that put lives of already fragile sufferers in danger.
The mission was stopped twice on the Wadi Gaza… https://t.co/DG4uxYSNBw
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) December 12, 2023
Certainly one of 19 critically wounded sufferers the workforce was making an attempt to rescue died en route due to the hold-up. One Purple Crescent employees member was separated from the convoy, stripped, overwhelmed and harassed earlier than being despatched out hours afterward foot, unclothed and shoeless, along with his palms nonetheless tied behind his again.
“We’re deeply involved about extended checks and detention of well being staff that put lives of already fragile sufferers in danger,” Tedros stated.
Saturday’s mission evacuated vital sufferers and delivered trauma and surgical provides to cowl the wants of 1,500 folks at battle-scarred Al-Ahli Hospital, the final hospital nonetheless partially functioning within the northern half of the Gaza Strip.
On the way in which out of the north, some sufferers and Purple Crescent employees had been instructed at an Israeli checkpoint to depart the ambulances. Crucial sufferers had been searched by armed Israeli troopers.
“Some well being staff had been held and questioned for a number of hours,” Tedros stated. “Because of the hold-up, one affected person died en route.”
Meirav Eilon Shahar, Israel’s ambassador to the UN in Geneva, wouldn’t touch upon the incident, saying she didn’t have sufficient details about it.
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Richard Peeperkorn, WHO consultant in Gaza, who was on the convoy, stated the medics had been pressured to depart behind one Palestine Purple Crescent Society employees member.
“After two and a half hours, we needed to make this extremely tough alternative to depart this extremely harmful space and proceed for the protection and well-being of the sufferers,” Peeperkorn advised reporters through video hyperlink.
The detained employees member later reported being harassed, overwhelmed, threatened, stripped of his garments, and blindfolded. After his launch, he was left to stroll in the direction of southern Gaza along with his palms nonetheless tied behind his again, and with out his garments or footwear, WHO stated.
“His story is harrowing, and the humiliation and inhumane therapy he was topic to is reasonably stunning,” Peeperkorn stated.
Well being staff have been detained on earlier missions to Gaza well being services. On Nov. 18, six folks had been detained throughout a WHO-led mission to maneuver sufferers from Al-Shifa Hospital. 4 of these folks stay in detention, WHO stated.