Gaza Health Ministry blasts IOF for abduction of nurse in Khan Younis
3 Min Read
Undercover Israeli occupation soldiers have kidnapped nurse Tasneem al-Hams while on her way to duty in Khan Younis, amid a catastrophic healthcare crisis.
-
Dr. Marwan al-Hams and his daughter, nurse Tasneem al-Hams, both of whom have been abducted by Israeli occupation forces from Gaza (Social Media)
The Ministry of Health in Gaza has strongly condemned the abduction of nurse Tasneem Marwan al-Hams by Israeli special forces while she was on her way to work at a medical point in Khan Younis.
In a blatant violation of international law, the ministry said, Tasneem was detained by Israeli occupation forces operating undercover in southern Khan Younis while reportedly en route to carry out her duties.
In an official statement, the ministry held the Israeli occupation fully responsible for Tasneem’s safety. “We hold the occupation fully responsible for her safety, demand disclosure of her fate, and call on the international community to urgently intervene to stop these violations and to protect healthcare workers and their families,” the statement read.
The ministry emphasized that the targeting of medical personnel violates international norms and the protections granted to healthcare workers under humanitarian law.
Tasneem is the daughter of Dr. Marwan al-Hams, a prominent medical figure who previously oversaw field hospitals in the Gaza Strip. In July, he was also abducted by Israeli undercover units during an operation in Gaza, during which they opened fire, killing a journalist and injuring several civilians.
The Ministry of Health has reiterated its appeal for international institutions to intervene and ensure the safety of healthcare workers operating under increasingly dangerous conditions in the Gaza Strip.
Gaza patients suffer as hospitals run dry
This comes amid a series of violations against the healthcare sector in Gaza, as the Israeli occupation systematically destroys what functions are left of it.
Since October 7, 2023, Gaza’s Health Ministry estimates that more than 167,000 Palestinians have been injured due to the relentless Israeli bombings. Hospitals remain overwhelmed with patients suffering burns, amputations, blast wounds, and broken bones. Yet with supplies of anaesthetics and painkillers running dangerously low, doctors are often forced to ration even the most basic medication.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) found that over half of the World Health Organization’s medical missions into Gaza this year, including deliveries of medicines and fuel, staff deployments, and patient evacuations, were either denied, delayed, impeded, or cancelled.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes have damaged hospitals and storage sites, while international aid convoys carrying medical supplies face lengthy delays or are turned away at the border.
Read more: IOF conducting ethnic cleansing by bombing Gaza hospitals: Haaretz
