IOF fires shells towards ambulance, prevents transfer of injured Palestinian fighters to hospital

ISM (International Solidarity Movement), Gaza



"IOF fires shells towards ambulance, prevents transfer of injured Palestinian fighters to hospital

Early in the morning of Saturday 4th of April, 2 Palestinian resistance fighters (Mohamed Hamayda 23, Jammel Gofa, 26) were wounded near the Green Line, east of Jabalya. Ambulance of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society made a first attempt to reach the 2 injured Palestinians a little bit after 7 a.m. when, according to medical sources, they were still alive. But the Palestinian paramedics were prevented to accomplish their humanitarian mission, by heavy Israeli shelling. Firing against civilians and ambulances and preventing injured people from having medical treatment are serious violations of the International Humanitarian Law.
Later ISM Gaza Strip volunteers were asked to support the efforts for the evacuation of the 2 injured Palestinians or their bodies, as they have successfully done in the past. But finally it wasn't necessary as the Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance was allowed to approach the area after 11 am. Almost at noon the ambulance returned with the dead bodies of the 2 Palestinian fighters.
According to medical sources, when the fighters were found, their weapons and some personal belongings were missing and they had a lot of injuries by gunfire, something that indicates that the Israeli troops have reached them and raises suspicions that they might have been extrajudicially executed while they were lying injured but still alive. Although this for the moment is just an assumption, in such case it would be another violation of the International Humanitarian Law. "