The United Nations reported the targeted killing of fifteen Palestinian paramedics and rescue workers by Israeli forces on 23 March. They included eight employees of the Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) and at least one staff of the United Nations. The UN reported Israeli forces killed these health workers, “one by one” and buried them in a shallow mass grave in southern Gaza. Their bodies were only recovered eight days later.  

This is the most deadly attack on Red Cross or Red Crescent workers in almost ten years. The Red Crescent has issued the names of the eight slain health and emergency workers who worked for them.  

They are Mustafa Khafaja, Ezzedine Shaat, Saleh Muammar, Rifaat Radwan, Mohammed Bahloul, Ashraf Abu Labda, Mohammed Hilieh, and Raed Al-Sharif.

More than statistics, these were individuals. They had their lives with great promise in front of them. Their families, friends, loved ones, and colleagues looked forward to their return, but now grieve their loss.  

This heart wrenching tragedy is a continuation of the unacceptable trend of targeting and killing health workers by the Israeli forces. Israeli forces have killed at least 1,060 healthcare workers in the year and a half since it launched the War on Gaza, following the Hamas attacks on Israeli communities. The Israeli authorities also carried out 739 military strikes against 27 out of the 38 hospitals in Gaza, killing a documented number of 907 persons.  

During the war, Israeli authorities detained 517 health workers, according to the World Health Organization. More than 160 of these are still being unjustly held in prison. Israel targeted hundreds of health workers in violation of the Geneva Convention relative to the protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War.  Israel continues this targeting of health workers with repeated reports of torture, killing, and humiliation, both in life and death, as evidenced by the disdainful burial of these health workers. 

Trade unions, civil society organisations and several member states of the United Nations have spoken out against the wave of massacres in Gaza, which is the context that nurtures this targeting of health workers.  

State repression, in several countries, of the right to free speech of individuals and organisations that demand an end to the Israeli crackdown on Palestine, strengthens the hand of Israel to continue with these despicable acts which are crimes against humanity. In particular, the attacks of the United States government against people speaking out against this inhumane aggression reinforce the confidence of the state of Israel that it enjoys impunity for all its actions.  

Public Services International and its affiliates stand in solidarity with our sisters, brothers, and comrades in Gaza. An injury to one is an injury to all. Attacks on health workers anywhere are attacks on health workers everywhere. We cannot accept this unending killings of our colleagues. Health and care workers across the world will continue to put pressure on the governments of our countries to call the Israeli government to order. We will continue to speak the truth to Israel that this is unacceptable.  

As Daniel Bertossa, the PSI General Secretary stresses: “Health workers are not targets. They provide an essential public service which is central to building a better society, and must be protected against attacks, instead of being made targets. Attacks on these workers inflame hostilities, promote dehumanisation and create the circumstances for further human rights abuses and war crimes”.  

We must allow no one, and no government, to target health workers—or any worker—for torture, humiliation, and killing. Enough is enough. Israel must stop the killing of health workers now! 

Take action:
Print the below photo card and take a picture with you and your union colleagues, with the hashtag #NotATarget

See more on our PSI Gaza Solidarity Fund Page Here

Download the photo card here