Killing of health workers in the Israel–Hamas war

Many health workers have been killed during attacks on medical facilities and medical transport in the Israel-Hamas War. Although the injuries happened both on the Israeli side and on the Palestinian side, most of these attacks were carried out by Israeli forces against Palestinians.

By 23 November 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) had documented 178 health attacks in the Gaza Strip that resulted in the death or injury of healthcare workers on duty.

Israel
Israel's national emergency service reported that three employees were murdered, four volunteers were injured, a patient was shot inside an ambulance and nine ambulances were damaged due to gun and fire damage on the October 7 attacks. During Be'eri massacre the local dental clinic became the site of a standoff between attacking militants and the kibbutz's security teams. It was eventually stormed and reportedly led to the killing of all the staff and patients.

Two physicians from the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba were killed at around the initial October 7 attack. Dr. Eitan Naaman was killed while serving in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) after being called up to serve shortly after the attack, while Dr. Daniel Levy was killed during the Be'eri massacre while working to treat the wounded.

Palestine
On 15 October 2023, a total of 28 health workers had been killed and 30 recorded incidents of violence against health facilities, ambulances, and health workers since the bombing began. By 16 November 2023 it was reported that more than 200 health care workers had been killed, per the Palestinian Ministry of Health, with some killed at hospitals, in ambulances, or at the sight of bombings, while others killed at home. On 18 January 2024, Israel struck a building which was housing Medical Aid for Palestinians staff and their family members, causing several injuries.

The Gaza Health Ministry stated on 9 February 2024 that 340 health workers had been killed since 7 October. Meinie Nicolai, a director of Doctors Without Borders, stated that Israel had killed two humanitarian aid workers, and that neither the U.S. nor Israel had provided an explanation. Reem Abu Lebdeh, a trustee on the UK board of directors of Doctors Without Borders, was killed by an Israeli airstrike in Khan Younis. On 26 March 2024, the Palestine Red Crescent Society stated that 15 of its staff members had been killed since 7 October. By 1 June 2024, the number had risen to 33. In June 2024, Doctors Without Borders stated six of its workers had been killed in Gaza since 7 October.

According to Al Jazeera, 160 medical facilities within the enclave have come under fire from the Israel Defense Forces, and 60 ambulances were disabled. Only four medical facilities remained operational in Gaza, but their survival is uncertain unless they receive the necessary aid. A total of 200 medical workers had reportedly lost their lives in the Strip. In July 2024, a Palestinian doctor and his family were killed by an Israeli airstrike after complying with an Israeli evacuation order.

Hospital staff
On Saturday 14 October, according to a statement by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, an Israeli rocket had damaged the upper two floors of the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital's cancer treatment center, which contained the ultrasound and mammography wards, and injured four staff members. Another explosion occurred in a parking lot in the courtyard which led to an estimated death toll of about 471. The cause of the explosion is disputed. Investigations by several news agencies suggested that the explosion was caused by an errant rocket fired from inside Gaza, but this is not a definitive conclusion.

A staffer at al-Awda Hospital reported Israeli snipers had shot at a one pregnant civilian at the hospital, and a hospital monitoring manager stated a nurse had been killed by an Israeli sniper on the hospital's fourth floor through the window.

On 3 February 2024, the Red Crescent stated it had buried three of its staff members following two weeks of Israel attacks on the Al-Amal Hospital. A doctor in Deir el-Balah was killed in an Israeli attack on 22 February.

520 healthcare professionals have sustained injuries, while 350 have tragically lost their lives. Furthermore, it was noted that several teenagers who aided medical personnel in Gazan hospitals were not formally recognized as healthcare workers, hence their fatalities were not accounted for in the casualty tally.

Head of hospital
As of late December, the number of health workers who lost their lives in Gaza had surpassed the total number of health worker fatalities documented in all other conflicts worldwide last year, as well as in any individual year since 2016. Additionally, numerous health workers have been abducted, such as (Dr.) Muhammad Abu Salmiya, the head of Gaza's largest hospital, al-Shifa, whose whereabouts are still unknown. In May 2024, Adnan al-Bursh, the head of orthopedics at Al-Shifa Hospital, died in an Israeli prison after four months in detention.

Paramedics


On 18 November 2023, it was reported that two people were killed while traveling in a clearly identified Doctors Without Borders evacuation convoy in Gaza City. The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reported that Israeli forces targeted an ambulance in the northern Gaza Strip, killing three medical personnel. On 7 February, the PRCS stated one of its paramedics had been killed and two wounded in Gaza City. On 10 February, it was announced that two PRCS paramedics that had been dispatched to rescue Hind Rajab were confirmed dead after the organization had lost contact with the crew and Rajab at around 29 January. In response, the World Health Organization stated, "WHO stands in solidarity with our colleagues at PRCS and mourns the deaths of Yusuf Zeino and Ahmed Al-Madhoun, brave PRCS ambulance crew members killed while trying to reach 6-year-old Hind".

On 23 February 2024, an Israeli bombing killed a PRCS paramedic in Rafah. In May 2024, the Palestine Red Crescent stated an Israeli bombing on an ambulance in Rafah killed two paramedics. A PRCS paramedic stated, "We were heavily targeted by the shooting of the occupation." In June 2024, the Palestinian Civil Defence Agency stated an Israeli airstrike killed three of their medics.

Strikes on Ambulances
On the 7th of October, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a statement regarding an incident at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. According to their report, an ambulance was hit at approximately 2 p.m., resulting in injuries to multiple paramedics. This information was further supported by a verified video shared on social media and a photograph from the Anadolu Agency, both of which depicted the destroyed ambulance outside the complex.

In another unfortunate event on the same day, WHO reported a separate attack in Jabalia that targeted two ambulances. Tragically, this attack resulted in the loss of two paramedics' lives and caused injuries to others.

Adding to the distressing situation, Gaza's Health Ministry reported on October 13 that three ambulances were struck by Israeli strikes, leading to the injury of 10 paramedics.

Lebanon
On 11 January 2024, the IDF conducted strikes in the town of Hanine and targeted an emergency center affiliated with the Hezbollah-backed Islamic Health Committee. The attack killed two workers from the rescue force and destroyed an ambulance.

Spain
Open Arms, the Spanish non-governmental organization collaborating with World Central Kitchen, has shared a tribute following the attack by Israel, which tragically affected their aid workers. The organization has expressed its commitment to advocating for the seven aid workers, as well as the extensive number of lives lost in Gaza, the numerous humanitarian workers, the devastated hospitals, journalists, and all the incidents that are not mere accidents but rather indicative of a larger system of devastation and loss.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called on Israel on April 2 to offer a transparent account of the deaths of seven individuals associated with World Central Kitchen, a charity established by Spanish-American chef Jose Andres, who perished in an Israeli airstrike in central Gaza. Sanchez conveyed his expectation and request for the Israeli authorities to promptly elucidate the details of the incident, underscoring that the aid workers were solely involved in humanitarian activities. Before Sanchez's visit, a representative from the Spanish government praised the work of Spanish charities utilizing a maritime route to provide assistance to Gaza. However, the importance of establishing secure land corridors was also stressed. Sanchez, while expressing shock over the deaths of the WCK workers, emphasized their solidarity, selflessness, and dedication as a source of national pride for Spain.

Australia
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed dissatisfaction with Israel's justification for the deaths of seven international aid workers in Gaza, deeming it inadequate." Lalzawmi "Zomi" Frankcom, an Australian citizen, was one of the individuals who lost their lives in the attack on Monday. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted on Tuesday that the Israel Defense Forces had carried out an airstrike on three vehicles transporting humanitarian workers from World Central Kitchen (WCK), stating: "Such incidents occur during times of conflict."

Others
Israeli airstrikes targeting aid workers distributing food in Gaza resulted in the deaths of at least seven individuals, among them a dual citizen of the U.S. and Canada, as well as citizens from Australia, Poland, and the United Kingdom. This incident marks the most recent military action by Israel that has impacted humanitarian activities in the besieged Palestinian region. World Central Kitchen, the charitable organization established by renowned chef José Andrés, announced on Tuesday morning that it would be temporarily suspending its operations in the area. This decision dealt a significant blow to the newly established sea route for food assistance, with ships loaded with provisions departing Gaza shortly after their recent arrival.

The recent Israeli airstrike in Gaza resulting in the deaths of a group of international aid workers has sparked widespread condemnation globally. Despite Israel claiming it was an accidental attack, supported by the U.S., others such as WCK founder José Andrés argue that the convoy was deliberately targeted. The tragic loss of seven lives, including Palestinian worker Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, adds to the already high number of humanitarian workers killed in Gaza since the conflict escalated. The United Nations reports that around 200 aid workers have lost their lives in Gaza since the beginning of the war.

International Court of Justice
Aljazeera has reported that immediate action is urgently needed in response to Israel's continuous attack on Gaza's healthcare system. The deliberate targeting of healthcare workers and infrastructure is equivalent to committing genocide. In December, South Africa presented a case to the International Court of Justice, accusing Israel of carrying out numerous "genocidal acts" against Palestinians in Gaza, including an assault on the healthcare system that renders life unsustainable.

Preventing the entry of medical equipment
The healthcare system in a besieged region, where over two million displaced people suffer from continuous bombardment, can be categorized as a type of genocide. Israeli forces have impeded the delivery of crucial medical resources to Gaza, targeted hospitals and medical facilities with airstrikes, and deliberately attacked ambulances. These deliberate acts against healthcare can only be seen as an ethnic cleansing tactic, aimed at causing a severe health emergency and making the area uninhabitable for those who survive.

UN workers
The war was the deadliest ever for United Nations workers, with at least 88 people who worked for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, killed since 7 October. The UNRWA stated that there had been about 13,000 staff working in Gaza prior to the war and those killed included teachers, school principals, health workers, a gynecologist, engineers, support staff and a psychologist. Some of the deceased workers were also reportedly killed with their families due to IDF bombing campaigns. The head of the UN, António Guterres, said that no other conflict has caused so much damage to the employees of the United Nations. The total number of UNRWA staff killed was later raised to 136. By 25 March 2024, a total of 171 UNRWA workers had been killed in Gaza. On 30 April 2024, 182 staffers had been reported killed.

WHO
From 7 October to January 2024, the online platform of the World Health Organization (WHO) reported a total of 304 attacks on healthcare in the Gaza Strip. Out of these attacks, 94 healthcare facilities were affected, including 26 hospitals that suffered damage. Additionally, 79 ambulances were also impacted by these attacks. In the West Bank, there were a total of 286 attacks during the same period. These attacks resulted in seven deaths and 52 injuries. Furthermore, 24 health facilities and 212 ambulances were affected by these incidents.

International reactions
Aid groups called for urgent action to stop attacks on health care in Gaza. Processions were held across the UK to pay tribute to healthcare workers killed in Gaza during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. UN chief António Guterres paid tribute to the 136 UN staff killed in the fighting.

Healthcare workers from across the UK took part in a silent march across Westminster Bridge to demand protection for Palestinian medical workers targeted by Israeli forces in Gaza, for those killed in Israeli aggression. The loss was mourned, and a cease-fire was called for.

On 10 November 2023, British healthcare workers protested outside Downing Street in memory of the nearly 200 doctors who died during the war. The vigil was organized to urge Prime Minister Rishi Sunak for an immediate ceasefire. Numerous hospital staff members carried one of 189 distinct placards, each displaying the name of a healthcare professional who lost their life in Gaza. They observed a moment of silence, after which they recited the names of their fallen colleagues from Gaza, followed by a collective call for an immediate ceasefire.

In early December the group Healthcare Workers for Palestine gathered to read off the names of the deceased health care workers in Gaza, outside the Art Institute of Chicago, and to also call for a permanent cease-fire.

On December 10, 2023, hundreds of doctors and medical staff marched in Karachi, Pakistan to pay tribute to their Palestinian counterparts. The event has been named the "White Coat March". Demonstrators chanted slogans of "Free Palestine" and "Labbaik ya Gaza" ("Gaza, we are here").

Health care professionals gathered outside the downtown Art Institute of Chicago to solemnly recite the names of the doctors and nurses who lost their lives in Gaza. This compassionate group, known as Healthcare Workers for Palestine, is also advocating for a lasting cessation of hostilities in the Israel-Hamas War.

leaders of UN agencies issued a strong plea for an immediate cessation of hostilities and the provision of humanitarian assistance to the affected region. They emphasized the importance of both Israel and Hamas adhering to international law. In a collective statement, prominent figures such as Volker Turk, the UN human rights commissioner; Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organization; and Martin Griffiths, the UN aid chief, expressed their concerns. They stressed that the ongoing situation has persisted for an extended period and it is imperative to put an end to it now. The signatories emphasized the need to safeguard civilians and the vital infrastructure they rely on, including hospitals, shelters, and schools. They called for the unhindered delivery of essential aid, such as food, water, medicine, and fuel, to Gaza. This assistance must be provided swiftly, safely, and on a sufficient scale to meet the urgent needs of the affected population, particularly women and children, regardless of their location.

Gerald Rockenschaub, the Head of the World Health Organization (WHO) office in the occupied Palestinian territory, emphasized the importance of preventing attacks on healthcare and strengthening measures to protect frontline health workers. He highlighted the international legal obligations to safeguard healthcare that must be upheld. In May 2024, Doctors Without Borders stated its staff and patients had experienced 26 violent incidents since 7 October and that it "has yet to receive accountability or any admission of responsibility for the killings, maiming, or the dehumanization of our staff and patients".