Al-Bireh: Israeli Occupation Forces pursued their attacks against PRCS medical teams in 2009. A total of 455 violations were recorded, including direct shooting incidents, verbal and physical abuse as well as impeding the Society’s access to the sick and wounded, in crying breach of IHL rules applicable in times of military occupation.
15 shooting incidents and attacks against PRCS ambulances and their teams were recorded in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Furthermore, a PRCS volunteer in the Gaza Strip died in the course of duty, while 10 other EMTs were injured and 22 ambulances sustained damage.
Moreover, PRCS recorded 440 incidents where its ambulances were delayed or denied access, including 289 such incidents on checkpoints leading to Jerusalem and 132 incidents in the Gaza Strip during the Israeli war which lasted for 22 days. Another five similar incidents were reported at Al Alami gate (Allenby bridge/Jericho), while 2 incidents were reported in Ramallah and 2 others in both Nablus and Qalqilya.
The main violation committed by the Israeli occupation against PRCS in 2009 was the targeting of PRCS Al Noor City in Tal Al Hawa/Gaza. White phosphorous bombs rained on the City, severely damaging medical facilities in the compound which includes, inter alia, Al Quds Hospital, the EMS station, the Administrative building and warehouses.
PRCS affirms that these practices constitute a crying violation of basic IHL rules, mainly the 4th Geneva Convention of 1949 on the protection of civilians in times of war and the 1st Additional Protocol which legally apply to the OPT, and which guarantee the respect and protection of the personnel engaged in the search for, removal and transporting of and caring for wounded and sick civilians and for providing them with first aid, as well as the respect of the life and dignity of civilians under military occupation.
Such practices also violate article 20 of the 4th Geneva Convention which guarantees the respect and protection of the personnel engaged in the search for, removal and transporting of and caring for wounded and sick civilians and article 63 which affirms that National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies shall be able to pursue their activities subject to temporary and exceptional measures imposed for urgent reasons of security by the Occupying Power.
Furthermore, Articles 12 and 15 of the 1st Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions stipulate that “Medical units shall be respected and protected at all times and shall not be the object of attack” and that they “shall have access to any place where their services are essential”.
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