Position Paper: The Harming of Medical Personnel and Facilities During the October 7, 2023 Hamas Attacks
Monday, November 27, 2023
One prominent aspect of the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7,
2023, was the assault on medical personnel and facilities, during which
emergency teams were prevented from reaching the wounded, while
some of those attempting to provide care were killed. The evidence
available to us through media reports and other public sources indicates
that these actions must be investigated as war crimes.
Given that the armed conflict inside the Gaza Strip is still ongoing, any
attacks on medical personnel and facilities and attempts to prevent
them from carrying out their duties within this context remain outside
the scope of this report - and will be addressed separately. Physicians
for Human Rights Israel (PHRI) is currently engaged in protecting health
workers and patients in Gaza and does not have immediate access
or resources to collect testimonies and carry out adequate inquiries.
Therefore, the subject of this report is limited to outlining the violations
committed by Hamas on October 7, 2023. In doing so, we separately
address attacks on hospitals and clinics and attacks on emergency
medical personnel and vehicles.