GENEVA (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The Special Rapporteur on human rights, Tlaleng Mofokeng, has called for the protection of health-care workers in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Following the martyrdom of Dr. Ziad Al-Dalo from Gaza while in Israel’s custody, Tlaleng Mofokeng said, “As we approach the first anniversary of the genocide, I remain shocked by Israel’s blatant disregard for the right to health in Gaza and the rest of the occupied territories.”
She explained that Al-Dalo was an internal medicine doctor at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and was arrested with other health-care workers while on duty at the hospital on March 18, 2024, during a raid by Israeli forces, and died on March 21st while in detention.
She pointed out that Al-Dalo is one of more than 885 health-care workers who have been martyred in Gaza and the West Bank since October 7, including nurses, paramedics, doctors, and other medical personnel.
She cited data published by the World Health Organization, reporting 1,043 attacks on the health sector in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including Jerusalem, since last October.
“Israel must stop destroying and impeding the already limited functioning of the health system in Palestine, by protecting health care workers,” Mofokeng said.
“The practice of medicine is never a crime during conflict – but the targeted killing of health care workers is a crime. Israel must stop,” she added, stressing that targeting health care workers and health facilities contravenes the fundamental right of individuals to access essential health care services, a matter of utmost importance in times of conflict, and may constitute a war crime.
According to the World Health Organization, at least 128 health care workers are still being held after being arbitrarily detained by Israeli army forces while fulfilling their duties.
Mofokeng called for the immediate release of all healthcare workers arbitrarily detained in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, for prompt, independent and impartial investigations to be conducted, and for those who unlawfully detained and killed them to be held accountable.
“The inability of a people to fully exercise their right to self-determination affects the enjoyment of all their fundamental rights, including the right to health,” she said, calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the occupation, and an end to the genocide.
According to UN data, hospitals in the Gaza Strip are completely destroyed, due to the ongoing destruction of the health system, with only 17 out of 36 hospitals partially functioning in Gaza due to dilapidated medical equipment and supplies, and shortages of medicines, medical supplies, and fuel.
