HealthNet TPO condemns in the strongest terms the recent attack that killed 15 medical workers from the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Gaza.
According to reports, these ambulance workers were clearly identifiable as humanitarians, operating marked vehicles while responding to the needs of the wounded. Despite the visibility of their protective emblems, they were targeted and killed in an IDF strike—a grave violation of international humanitarian law.
“I am heartbroken. These dedicated ambulance workers were responding to wounded people. They were humanitarians. They wore emblems that should have protected them; their ambulances were clearly marked. They should have returned to their families; they did not.” said IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain. “Even in the most complex conflict zones, there are rules. These rules of International Humanitarian Law could not be clearer – civilians must be protected; humanitarians must be protected. Health services must be protected.”
HealthNet TPO stands in solidarity with all humanitarian workers, medical personnel, and organisations who continue to deliver lifesaving support in conflict settings—often at great personal risk.
In addition to condemning the deliberate targeting of humanitarian and medical staff, HealthNet TPO denounces the ongoing loss of civilian life in Gaza and reiterates the urgent need for all parties to uphold international humanitarian law. The deliberate targeting of health workers and medical infrastructure is not only a tragedy—it is an attack on the very foundations of humanitarian response.
We call for the immediate protection of humanitarian workers and civilians and for an end to violence. HealthNet TPO reaffirms its firm commitment to humanitarian principles and the protection of those who serve on the frontlines of crisis.