Palestinian Medical Workers Detail Israeli Torture Amid Dire State Of Gaza's Health System

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Palestinian wellness attraction workers who were arbitrarily captured by nan Israeli subject are revealing nan horrifying, and successful immoderate cases deadly, maltreatment and torture they faced astatine nan hands of soldiers successful detention ― further deteriorating Gaza’s wellness attraction strategy that’s already crumbling nether Israel’s astir yearlong siege.

A study published Monday by Human Rights Watch (HRW) included grounds from doctors, nurses and paramedics who said they faced humiliation, beatings, forced accent positions, prolonged cuffing, blindfolding and denial of aesculapian attraction while successful Israeli custody. These circumstantial wellness attraction workers, now released, besides described torture that included rape and intersexual maltreatment by Israeli forces, and inhumane surviving conditions for nan wide situation population. Their testimonies are accordant pinch different reliable reports astir Israel’s inhumane curen of detainees.

“The Israeli government’s mistreatment of Palestinian wellness attraction workers has continued successful nan shadows and needs to instantly stop,” Balkees Jarrah, HRW’s acting Middle East director, said successful a connection earlier this week. “The torture and different ill-treatment of doctors, nurses and paramedics should beryllium thoroughly investigated and appropriately punished, including by nan International Criminal Court (ICC).”

Israeli officials person many times denied inhumane curen of detainees, maintaining that nan prisoners are members of Hamas. In uncommon cases, nan subject launches an investigation into itself aliases into individual soldiers, which historically has not resulted successful accountability.

Israel’s targeting of Palestinian wellness attraction workers has been occurring for years, but changeable up aft soldiers launched its subject violative successful Gaza arsenic a consequence to nan Oct. 7 onslaught by Hamas militants that killed astir 1,200 and took hundreds hostage, nan second of which astir 100 stay successful captivity. The Israeli subject has since killed much than 40,000 group successful Gaza and decimated nan portion while torturing its captives successful shadowy subject bases ― actions that nan world community has mostly described as genocidal.

The Degradation In Israel’s Arrests Of Health Care Workers

Dr. Isam Abu Ajwa restarts his activity astatine Gaza's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital a fewer days aft nan Palestinian surgeon was released from situation successful Deir al-Balah, wherever Israeli forces detained him connected Oct. 7, 2023, for 200 days.
Dr. Isam Abu Ajwa restarts his activity astatine Gaza's Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital a fewer days aft nan Palestinian surgeon was released from situation successful Deir al-Balah, wherever Israeli forces detained him connected Oct. 7, 2023, for 200 days.

Ashraf Amra/Anadolu via Getty Images

Between March and June of this year, HRW interviewed 8 Palestinian wellness attraction workers successful Gaza who were taken captive by Israeli forces betwixt November and December of past twelvemonth and detained without complaint for immoderate clip betwixt 7 days and 5 months. The statement said it besides said pinch 7 group who witnessed Israeli forces apprehension wellness attraction workers trying to do their job.

“We’re conscionable wellness attraction workers. … We’re not doing thing retired of nan ordinary,” Dr. Majed Jaber, who is presently based successful nan al-Mawasi area while volunteering astatine Emirati Hospital, said connected a Wednesday telephone pinch reporters and different Gaza wellness attraction workers.

All nan workers who testified successful nan study said Israeli soldiers ne'er informed them of why they were being detained, but that for weeks those soldiers threatened them pinch indefinite imprisonment, rape and murdering their families unless they confessed to being members of Hamas.

“The world was spinning around, and I fainted. They deed maine pinch batons. I kept fainting and hallucinating,” Walid Khalili, a 36-year-old paramedic and ambulance driver for nan Palestinian Medical Relief Society, told nan quality authorities group. “He kept asking maine astir nan hostages, and moving Hamas hostages, and wherever I was connected Oct. 7. With each mobility I was electro-shocked to aftermath maine up. He told maine to confess and ‘we will extremity torturing you.’”

Khalili testified that he was dispatched successful November to rescue 4 men successful Gaza City, only to spot Israeli forces execute them “in acold blood.” He said he was past beaten, zip-tied, blindfolded and forced to publically portion successful nan cold earlier soldiers took him to an unfastened area, wherever they doused him successful gasoline, threatened to group him connected occurrence and drove a subject conveyance straight toward him successful an effort to terrify him into saying he is simply a Hamas member.

Dr. Khalid Hamoudeh faced akin curen from Israeli forces aft they arrested him successful December astatine Kamal Adwan Hospital successful bluish Gaza’s Beit Lahia. The expert told HRW that he and astir 50 chap wellness attraction workers were made to beryllium separately from different Palestinian detainees. A photograph that Israel’s Channel 12 wide circulated astatine nan clip ― and whose location was first identified by open-source interrogator FDov earlier being confirmed later by HRW ― showed 34-year-old Hamoudeh and respective different men shirtless and bound successful beforehand of a soldier, while hundreds of detained men down them sat successful a guarded ample pit.

The Humiliation, Abuse And Torture In Israel’s Shady Camps

Nearly 2 twelve Palestinian prisoners detained by nan Israeli service are taken to Nasser Hospital for aesculapian curen aft being released astatine nan Karm Abu Salem separator crossing successful Khan Younis, Gaza connected Aug. 20.
Nearly 2 twelve Palestinian prisoners detained by nan Israeli service are taken to Nasser Hospital for aesculapian curen aft being released astatine nan Karm Abu Salem separator crossing successful Khan Younis, Gaza connected Aug. 20.

Doaa Albaz/Anadolu via Getty Images

The wellness attraction workers told HRW that Israeli forces took them to detention accommodation for illustration the shadowy Sde Teiman torture camp successful nan Negev godforsaken and nan Ashkelon prison, aliases forcibly transferred them to nan Anatot subject base adjacent East Jerusalem and nan Ofer situation successful nan occupied West Bank.

Khalili said he was detained for 20 days at Sde Teiman, a guidelines successful confederate Israel that has travel nether occurrence aft aggregate investigations by quality authorities groups and news outlets revealed that the tract is portion of a web of Israeli torture camps for Palestinian captives. The paramedic described nan campy “like a warehouse” wherever Israeli forces suspended him and dozens of different Palestinian detainees by their metallic cuffs from chains attached to nan ceiling. He and different detainees besides had to deterioration big diapers and a garment and headband attached to wires for electrocution, according to nan HRW report.

Israeli soldiers took Khalili successful for interrogation each 3 days, forcing him to ingest what he believed was a psychoactive supplier earlier questioning and beating, he said. After experiencing weeks of unit truthful terrible that he required a wheelchair, Khalili was transferred for much than a period of further detention astatine al-Naqab situation wherever he said he witnessed a man visibly “bleeding from his bottom” because aggregate soldiers raped him pinch an battle rifle.

Conditions astatine nan camps are “not moreover fresh for animals,” testified Dr. Eyad Abed, a 50-year-old surgeon who worked astatine Indonesian Hospital earlier he was taken captive. He said he and different detainees “had nary choice” but to capable a garbage container pinch h2o and portion from it.

“My wrists wounded truthful much, they felt paralyzed and numb. I cried truthful much, I couldn’t return nan pain.”

- Khader Abu Nada, formerly detained caregiver astatine Beit Hanoun Hospital successful Gaza

In November, Israeli forces arrested Khader Abu Nada, a 30-year-old caregiver astatine bluish Gaza’s Beit Hanoun Hospital, while he was evacuating to nan southbound pinch his family. For nan long of his eight-day detention astatine nan Anatot camp, he said he was forced to activity arsenic a “shawish” ― a slang word successful Arab that intends “servant” aliases “subordinate” ― and escort detainees to nan interrogation room. Abu Nada told HRW that he would outcry while accompanying nan detainees “because I’m nan 1 bringing them to this torture.”

Abu Nada said he himself faced maltreatment earlier soldiers appointed him arsenic a shawish, getting beaten during his first interrogation by a subject commandant who besides threatened to rape him pinch an “electric stick” if he didn’t confess to being affiliated pinch Hamas. The commandant past ordered different worker to tighten Abu Nada’s handcuffs and resistance him to a field.

“My wrists wounded truthful much, they felt paralyzed and numb. I cried truthful much, I couldn’t return nan pain,” said Abu Nada, adding that his wrists yet turned black, and he feared semipermanent damage. “I still consciousness symptom successful my hands. My hands are weak, and I person nary spot to clasp aliases transportation anything.”

An infographic titled 'Israel's Guantanamo' created successful Istanbul, Turkey, connected July 30. Israel's Sde Teiman situation is notorious for reports of torture and maltreatment of Palestinians.
An infographic titled 'Israel's Guantanamo' created successful Istanbul, Turkey, connected July 30. Israel's Sde Teiman situation is notorious for reports of torture and maltreatment of Palestinians.

Yara Ramazan/Anadolu via Getty Images

According to Physicians for Human Rights Israel, prolonged beingness restraint for illustration handcuffs tin origin utmost symptom and lead to imperishable nervus harm that prevents nan restrained personification from being capable to usage their hands. In immoderate cases, cuffing tin moreover lead to death.

Hamoudeh was besides forced to service arsenic a shawish during his 22 days astatine Sde Teiman, seeing betwixt 10 and 20 detainees pinch aesculapian conditions.

The soldiers “threw this work astatine me, but without due aesculapian instrumentality and facilities,” nan expert said successful nan report. “I was terrified immoderate would die. … The shawish earlier maine told maine that 3 detainees died during his time.”

Whistleblower told CNN earlier this year that soldiers would name immoderate Palestinians arsenic shawishes aft they were nary longer suspected of Hamas affiliation, implying that those detainees were being held for nary logic different than to forcibly assistance nan military. The subject denied unnecessarily holding detainees to nan outlet.

The Detention And Death Of Health Workers Amid Gaza’s Crumbling Health Systems

The lifeless assemblage of 2-year-old Anas al-Arair, who was killed successful an Israeli strike, is brought to Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital successful Gaza City, Gaza, connected Wednesday.
The lifeless assemblage of 2-year-old Anas al-Arair, who was killed successful an Israeli strike, is brought to Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital successful Gaza City, Gaza, connected Wednesday.

Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Israeli subject had been reportedly conducting a criminal investigation into 48 Palestinians who since Oct. 7 were killed while successful Israeli custody, Haaretz reported successful June. That number includes Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, a surgeon and orthopedics main astatine al-Shifa Hospital who died successful April, and Dr. Eyad al-Rantisi, nan head of Kamal Adwan Hospital’s women’s wellness center.

“Dr. Adnan was successful symptom from nan beatings. He was besides punished. He had visible blunt trauma, and he had problem breathing,” Hamoudeh said of seeing him among nan 5 detained doctors Israeli soldiers brought successful December. “What happened to him, happened to many. There’s clear aesculapian neglect.”

Since October 2023, astatine slightest 259 Palestinian wellness attraction workers person been unlawfully detained by Israeli forces, pinch much than 30 accounts of torture and maltreatment arsenic good arsenic 35 cases of missing workers, according to nan nonprofit Healthcare Workers Watch-Palestine. The group’s latest update successful June besides reports that astatine slightest 541 Palestinian wellness attraction workers person been killed by Israeli forces since Oct. 7.

“Really it’s unfortunate ― because it’s reflective of a overmuch greater racism and injustice that’s been going connected for decades ― but overseas workers are not nan ones being detained and tortured,” Dr. Tanya Haj Hassan, an American pediatrician who has worked extensively successful Gaza, said connected Wednesday. “It’s Palestinian wellness attraction workers that are being detained and tortured.”

“Yes, everybody is scared. ... At nan aforesaid time, nan biggest point that’s preventing aesculapian unit from entering Gaza is nan Israeli subject and nan Israeli authorities pinch Israeli policies.”

- Dr. Tarek Loubani, aesculapian head of assistance group Glia

In summation to nan maltreatment itself, nan targeting of Palestinian wellness attraction workers has put moreover much strain connected Gaza’s already decimated wellness system. Doctors, nurses and paramedics for months person tried to relay to nan world organization nan dire authorities of hospitals and nan hopeless attempts to dainty patients suffering from diseases aliases bomb-related wounds with fewer aesculapian unit and moreover less aesculapian equipment, all while facing repeated removal orders and Israeli subject raids.

Despite nan increasing dangers, doctors and immoderate aesculapian assistance workers opportunity they are not deterred from carrying retired their duties successful occupied Palestinian land.

“We are trying our champion to get aesculapian unit in. These are aesculapian unit who understand nan risks, who person worked successful different high-risk situations and who want to help,” said Dr. Tarek Loubani, nan aesculapian head of Canadian assistance group Glia who worked astatine al-Shifa Hospital. “I mean, we’re watching an progressive genocide, of people they want to help.”

“Yes, everybody is scared. Yes, cipher is going successful location because they want to die,” he continued connected Wednesday. “At nan aforesaid time, nan biggest point that’s preventing aesculapian unit from entering Gaza is nan Israeli subject and nan Israeli authorities pinch Israeli policies. That is what’s stopping our teams from entering.”

The threats to Palestinian wellness attraction have seeped into nan occupied West Bank, which conscionable faced its largest onslaught by Israel since 2002 during nan Second Intifada. Soldiers are closing roads, invading hospitals, blocking ambulances and assaulting paramedics. According to nan Palestine Red Crescent Society, Israeli forces stormed their aesculapian constituent successful nan al-Far’a exile campy connected Wednesday, detained squad members and trim disconnected connection pinch them.

“Even nan best-equipped infirmary would struggle to header pinch nan catastrophe unfolding now successful Jenin basically, and I deliberation nan business conscionable urgently calls for world support,” Dr. Ahmad Qaaqour, erstwhile ICU main astatine nan Ibn Sana Hospital successful nan West Bank metropolis of Jenin, said connected Wednesday. “And nan aesculapian organization needs precocious equipment, further trained unit and psychological support for nan aesculapian staff, patients and moreover nan families there.”

The Desperate Call For Accountability From The International Community

Palestinians be a objection calling for nan merchandise of bodies of Palestinian prisoners successful Israeli jails, successful Ramallah, occupied West Bank connected Tuesday.
Palestinians be a objection calling for nan merchandise of bodies of Palestinian prisoners successful Israeli jails, successful Ramallah, occupied West Bank connected Tuesday.

Zain Jaafar/AFP via Getty Images

The wellness attraction workers’ testimonies are accordant pinch abstracted reports by nan aggregate United Nations agencies, human authorities groups and media astir nan maltreatment and torture Palestinians look successful Israeli prisons. In fact, HRW recovered backmost successful 1994 that Israel grounded to supply due accountability for nan decades of torture and maltreatment of Palestinian captives.

“It’s not new,” Haj Hassan said. “It’s conscionable occurring astatine a overmuch much terrible some complaint of detention and standard of detention.”

Israeli situation officers faced much than 1,800 maltreatment complaints betwixt 2019 and 2022, according to a November report by nan Israeli Knesset’s Research and Information Center. Of those, zero resulted successful a criminal conviction.

“The torture of Palestinian wellness attraction workers is simply a model into nan overmuch larger rumor of nan Israeli government’s curen of detainees generally,” HRW’s Jarrah said. “Governments should publically telephone connected nan Israeli authorities to merchandise unlawfully detained wellness attraction workers and extremity nan sadistic mistreatment and nightmarish conditions for each detained Palestinians.”

According to Common article 3 to nan 4 Geneva Conventions, “Persons taking nary progressive portion successful nan hostilities … shall successful each circumstances beryllium treated humanely.” The article besides says that torture and “outrages upon individual dignity, successful peculiar humiliating and degrading treatment,” are ever prohibited.

Article 49 of nan Fourth Geneva Convention bans individual forcible transfers wrong an occupied territory, arsenic good arsenic deportations of civilians from nan occupied territory to nan occupier’s territory. Violating these articles pinch criminal intent could chalk Israel’s arbitrary detention and maltreatment arsenic warfare crimes, pinch nan thief of unconditional subject assistance and complicity from nan United States.

“Israel could not get distant pinch bombing hospitals if nan United States did not let it to proceed to do that,” Dr. Tammy Abughnaim told HuffPost past week. “Israel could not get distant pinch detaining wellness attraction workers if nan United States did not supply governmental screen for that arsenic well.”

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