As of Sunday, 2 November 2008, new Israeli army guidelines are in force, requiring Palestinian medical personnel from the West Bank who work in Jerusalem hospitals to come in only through the Qalandiya checkpoint in Ramallah. Medical personnel from the West Bank are prohibited from coming to work through other checkpoints, even if these are closer to where they live. Read more about New Israeli restrictions target Palestinian hospitals in Jerusalem
The Palestinian Medical Relief Society condemns Tuesday’s attack against PMRS ambulance staff whilst they distributed first aid kits to residents of Rafah. Whilst ambulance staff, including 5 doctors, 2 nurses and the driver, distributed the first aid kits in the Tal al Sultan neighborhood, Israeli forces started firing at the ambulance. According to the staff, firing came from the “Rafih Yam” settlements towers. They at first thought that it was random shooting however; when some bullets were only 50 cm away they realized that this was in fact intentional. Fortunately there were no injuries. Read more about Israeli forces attack medical staff in Rafah
Israeli forces are preventing medical teams from accessing the dead and injured in Rafah. The hospital is overflowing with casualties that ambulances were able to reach, but those they could not lie dying in homes and streets. Said Lemghayer from the Tel El Sultan neighborhood in Rafah, died instantly when Israeli snipers shot him whilst he was standing outside his house. His family tried to transfer him to a hospital but Israeli forces prevented the ambulance from reaching him. Read more about Medical teams in Rafah prevented from access to dead and injured Palestinians