UN Special Reporter: Israel Must Stop Destroying The Health System In Palestine

The convoy of ambulances in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. (Twitter/@WHO)

JAKARTA - The UN Special Reporter warned Israel should stop destroying the Palestinian health system, calling for protection for health care workers.

Special Human Rights Reporter Tlaleng Mofokeng called for protection for health service workers in occupied Palestinian territories.

"I am shocked by Israel's blatant neglect of the right to health in Gaza and other occupied territories," said Tlaleng Mofokeng, following the killing of Dr. Ziad Al-Dalo from Gaza while in Israeli custody, reported by WAFA September 25.

He explained that Al-Dalo was an internal medicine doctor at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. He was detained along with other health care workers while on duty at the hospital on March 18, 2024, during a raid by Israeli forces.

Al-Dalo died on March 21 while in detention, one of the more than 885 health care workers killed in Gaza and the West Bank since October 7, including nurses, paramedics, doctors and other medical personnel.

Many more were injured, while the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported 1,043 attacks on health centers in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank as well as East Jerusalem.

"Israel must stop destroying and obstruct the function of the Palestinian health system, by protecting health care workers," Mofokeng explained.

"The practice of medicine has never been a crime during conflict but intentional murder of health care workers is a crime," he said.

"Israel must stop," he said.

He stressed that targeting health care workers and health facilities violates individual basic rights to access essential health care services, which are critical in times of conflict, and can constitute war crimes.

According to the WHO, at least 128 health care workers were still detained after being arbitrarily arrested while carrying out their duties.

Mofokeng called for the immediate release of all health care workers detained arbitrarily in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, for rapid, independent, and impartial investigations to be carried out, and for those detaining and killing them to be unlawfully held accountable.

"The inability of a nation to fully exercise their right to determine their own destiny will affect the fulfillment of all their fundamental rights, including the right to Health," he explained.

The UN reporter also called for an immediate ceasefire, ending the occupation and ending the genocide.