The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) accused Israeli forces of stopping medical evacuation convoys in Khan Yunis and searching and arresting ambulance workers.
OCHA spokesman Jens Laerke spoke about this issue in Geneva and said that despite previous negotiations with the Israeli side regarding ambulance members and vehicles, the Israeli army blocked WHO convoys one after another as they were leaving hospitals.
According to OCHA, the Israeli army removed patients and paramedics from cars, stripped them naked, and impounded three Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances – despite their identities being revealed in advance. OCHA also claimed that one of the paramedics was later released, but not the others.
Reuters reported that the Israeli army had no immediate comment, saying it was investigating the details of the incident.
The incident occurred on Sunday when 24 patients were evacuated from Al Amal Hospital. Larkey added that Sunday's incident is not isolated, as aid convoys are regularly checked, humanitarian workers are subjected to harassment, intimidation and detention, and humanitarian infrastructure is also being damaged by the Israeli ground offensive.
(Watchman)
