281 Medical Workers Killed and Dozens Others Detained by Israel, Ministry of Health Calls for Humanitarian Corridor

The atmosphere of the hospital in Gaza. (Source: WHO)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Health in Gaza, Palestine said that hundreds of health workers there were killed as a result of the Israeli-Hamas conflict, hundreds of others were injured, while dozens of others were detained, including most recently last weekend.

Ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qedra said in a press conference on Sunday that a total of 281 health workers were killed and hundreds of others were injured, as quoted by Anadolu, December 4.

He further explained that around 56 ambulances and the same number of health facilities had been completely destroyed, while 20 hospitals were unable to operate, as well as 46 primary care centers.

On the same occasion, al-Qedra highlighted the arrest and detention of medical personnel. Most recently, Israeli forces arrested four paramedics on Saturday despite their prior coordination, as they headed north from Khan Yunis in the south to evacuate the injured.

"Those detained include the director of the ambulance service in southern Gaza, Anis al-Astal, and paramedics Muhammad Abu Samak, Hamdan Anaba, and Abdel Karim Abu Ghali," he explained.

Israel is still holding 35 health professionals from the Gaza Strip, including Mohammed Abu Selmiya, general director of the Al-Shifa Medical Complex, "in harsh conditions and interrogated under torture, hunger and thirst," the official added.

He also confirmed that since October 7, 403 injured and sick people had left the Gaza Strip via the Rafah border crossing with Egypt to receive treatment abroad. Meanwhile, more than 1.5 million refugees are in shelters.

Calling for “immediate action” to establish humanitarian corridors for medical supplies, fuel, field hospitals, medical teams, and the evacuation of hundreds of injured people, al-Qedra urged the UN and the World Health Organization to put pressure on Israel to “take immediate emergency action.” ” release our health professionals.”

He stressed the need to "find effective and urgent mechanisms to prevent a humanitarian and health catastrophe for the more than 1.5 million refugees in shelters."

"Wounded victims are bleeding to death due to the lack of necessary health services in northern Gaza, as a result of the Israeli occupation targeting the remaining hospitals to make them unusable and forcing residents to flee," explained al-Qedra.

"The Israeli occupation wants to end the presence of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, either by killing or forced displacement due to bombing. They have expanded the targeting of civilians after the ceasefire, so that there is not a single area in the Gaza Strip that is not bombarded," he stressed.

It is known that Israel has again bombarded Gaza after a ceasefire with Hamas that had lasted for a week ended last week.