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Gaza’s Health Ministry has strongly condemned the kidnapping of seven Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics by Israeli forces on Tuesday morning while they were performing humanitarian medical duties in the Gaza Strip.
According to the ministry, the incident took place at a military checkpoint established by Israeli forces along Salahuddin Road, a key route linking central and southern parts of Gaza that is frequently used for the movement of ambulances and emergency medical teams.
The Health Ministry stated that the paramedics were engaged in their routine humanitarian mission of rescuing wounded civilians and transporting patients to hospitals when they were stopped and detained.
The ministry said the medical team was subjected to on-site interrogation by Israeli forces. Five of the seven paramedics were later released, while two remain in custody at an undisclosed location.
The arrest has raised renewed concerns among Palestinian health authorities and humanitarian organizations over the safety and protection of medical workers operating in Gaza amid ongoing hostilities.
The Health Ministry called for immediate international intervention to secure the release of the remaining detained paramedics and to ensure the protection of medical personnel working in the enclave.
It stressed that targeting or obstructing emergency medical teams violates international humanitarian law, which guarantees the protection of healthcare workers and their ability to carry out life-saving duties without interference.
The incident comes amid continued challenges facing medical teams in Gaza, where hospitals and emergency services have been operating under severe pressure due to shortages of equipment, fuel, and safe passage for ambulances.
Humanitarian groups have repeatedly warned that restrictions on movement and repeated detentions of medical staff are worsening an already critical health situation, particularly as hospitals struggle to cope with large numbers of casualties.
As tensions persist, Palestinian officials say ensuring the safety of medical personnel is essential to preventing further deterioration of humanitarian conditions in the territory. (ILKHA)
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