The Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced the martyrdom of a Palestinian wounded person due to the obstruction by the Israeli occupation forces of a convoy evacuating 11 wounded individuals from the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City to the southern areas.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the society stated that its teams, in coordination with the United Nations, evacuated 11 critically injured individuals (amputation cases and head injuries) from the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City to hospitals in the southern area of the Strip.
It explained that a convoy consisting of 6 ambulances from the society, accompanied by UN vehicles, departed from Khan Yunis after waiting for about 4 hours to obtain the first green light to move towards the Israeli military checkpoint that separates northern Gaza from its south.
Then, the convoy waited for a full hour to obtain a second green light to cross the checkpoint.
The society pointed out that the convoy underwent a thorough inspection process that lasted for about two hours, during which the occupation forces detained two paramedics who were released as soon as the convoy was allowed to pass.
It confirmed that as soon as the convoy crossed the checkpoint and approached the vicinity of Kuwait Roundabout, the Israeli soldiers opened fire on one of the ambulance vehicles, causing damage to the side glass of the vehicle and the bullet lodged in its structure.
It stated that upon the convoy’s return from the Baptist Hospital and upon reaching the checkpoint, the convoy’s path was obstructed again, and paramedic Ramy Al-Qattawi was re-detained. Due to the detailed inspection, examination, and interrogation procedures at the checkpoint for more than two hours, this led to the martyrdom of one of the wounded individuals.
It continued: “After being obstructed for more than 3 hours, the ambulance vehicles left the checkpoint while the paramedic Al-Qattawi continued to be detained”. He was eventually released after being held for more than 4 hours, during which he was subjected to beating, mistreatment, and blackmail during the interrogation process. He arrived on the other side of the checkpoint in a bad condition after being forced to walk a distance of more than 2 kilometers while being handcuffed, undressed, in rough terrain and freezing cold weather.
