Palestinian Health Minister, Mai Al-Kaila, delivered a memorandum of urgent protest to the United Nations (UN) on Tuesday, denouncing the Israeli occupation forces and settlers’ violations against medical and health personnel. This handover occurred in Ramallah, situated in the central West Bank, directly to the United Nations body.
The minister’s protest stemmed from a demonstration outside the UN headquarters in Ramallah, organized by the Ministry of Health. Participants included representatives from Palestine’s medical, health, and ambulance services providers, along with medical and health unions and other healthcare personnel.
Al-Kaila voiced concerns about deliberate attacks from the Israeli forces and settlers on medical and health staff, treatment centers, hospitals, ambulances, and their crews. These actions starkly contrast with international norms and laws.
She called for an immediate international response to curb the occupiers’ and settlers’ racist practices. Al-Kaila further pointed out that since the beginning of 2023, the Palestinian Ministry of Health has documented 15 attacks on hospitals, 54 assaults on ambulances, 37 incidents of assault on health sector personnel, and 81 incidents where occupation forces and settlers have hindered the work of paramedics.
