'Israel' intensifies attacks on ambulances, relief crews in Gaza

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen
16 Oct 2023 05:39

The Israeli occupation continues to heavily bomb different areas across the Gaza Strip.

Children view a destroyed ambulance parked along a street in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on October 11, 2023. (AFP)

Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported that Israeli occupation airstrikes have violently targeted various areas in Gaza, with unprecedented intensity, in both the northern and southern parts of the Strip.

The Israeli occupation targeted the main roads in the Strip and launched intensive smoke bombs in the northern part of it. Shelling that targeted the central governorate in the Strip resulted in two martyrs and several injuries.

Our correspondent reported airstrikes on the Nuseirat camp and heavily populated areas in Khan Yunis. A house in the city that was sheltering displaced people from the north of the Strip was targeted, resulting in the martyrdom and injury of all inside.

The continuous and violent Israeli airstrikes on Khan Yunis coincided with artillery shelling. The shelling on the al-Amal neighborhood resulted in the martyrdom of one person and several injuries, while search operations are underway for those missing under the rubble.

Footage shows a group of men providing water to a thirsty injured #Palestinian stuck under the rubble as a result of the Israeli aggression on the #Gaza Strip through an extended straw.#Palestine #GazaUnderAttack #GazaGenocide pic.twitter.com/fcKnFWf6pL
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 15, 2023

Moreover, a large number of Palestinians were martyred and several others were injured after the Israeli occupation targeted the Abu Mustafa family home and another house in the Emirati neighborhood in Khan Yunis.

The Israeli airstrikes also targeted Jabalia, north of Gaza City, with a focus on the al-Nasr neighborhood, al-Jalaa Street, Gaza City, Tal al-Hawa, Sheikh Radwan, al-Karamah, and al-Tawam.

According to our correspondent, the Israeli occupation heavily and continuously targeted Tal al-Hawa and the area known as the Public Security region.

Israeli airstrikes were also focused on the vicinity of al-Shifa and al-Quds hospitals, as reported by Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza.

The Israeli occupation military also launched flares near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, as per Israeli media.

The Palestinian Red Crescent said its ambulance vehicles cannot move from outside al-Quds Hospital to respond to calls due to the intensity of the Israeli bombing.

The bodies of 114 martyrs, including 37 children and 44 women, reached Shuhada al-Quds Hospital alone.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza announced on Sunday that the number of martyrs has risen to more than 2,700, with 9,200 others suffering various injuries.

Seven people were killed in the Israeli bombing that targeted two Civil Defense headquarters in the south and east of Gaza.

Medics attempt to resuscitate members of the civil defense team after being targeted by the Israeli occupation during their rescue missions in #Gaza.#PalestineGenocide #GazaUnderAttack pic.twitter.com/c04U7ZX76T
— Al Mayadeen English (@MayadeenEnglish) October 15, 2023

The Palestinian Civil Defense General Directorate confirmed that it only has 32 firefighting and rescue vehicles, distributed throughout all the governorates of the Gaza Strip.

The Directorate mentioned in a statement that the Israeli occupation targeted 2,185 residential buildings, which resulted in numerous tasks that exceeded its capabilities. It also noted that there are more than 1,000 martyrs under the rubble, along with a large number of injured.

In light of the lack of equipment and vehicles, many of which have been out of service for years, the Directorate held the International Civil Defence Organization (ICDO) legally and humanely responsible for not supporting the Civil Defense in Gaza.

The Directorate stressed that the continuation of the Israeli aggression threatens a real catastrophe, resulting in the inability of its teams to fulfill their duty toward the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.

The statement called for opening crossings and providing the necessary humanitarian supplies to the citizens, supporting and providing the Civil Defense teams with equipment and devices, and supplying them with fuel to continue their lifesaving services.

The Directorate appealed to the "free world and our brothers in the Arab countries, especially Egypt," to provide firefighting and rescue vehicles, as well as life-detection devices for searching for human subjects under rubble.

It also emphasized the urgent need for heavy equipment, devices, and breathing masks.

Elsewhere, the statement called for the implementation of international humanitarian law to "protect humanitarian service providers and urgent response while safeguarding civilian facilities and protecting citizens in the Gaza Strip."