Urgent Appeal from the Ministry of Health in Palestine
Urgent
Appeal from the Ministry of Health in Palestine
By the time the PNA Ministry of Health has been diligently working to
protect the population from the dangerous attacks of the West Nile Fever
Epidemic that has recently hit our area, we have been astounded to learn
that the Israeli police forces have broken into Al-Aqsa Holy Mosque
while the worshipers were performing their noon Friday prayer, and fired
High-Velocity live ammunition and rubber bullets at them, thus injuring
226 citizens of whom 167 were admitted into Jerusalem Hospitals while
the remaining injuries were given first-aid care and sent back homes. Of
these cases, 83 were transferred and admitted to Maqassed Hospital, 50
to Augusta Victoria Hospital, 9 to Saint John Eye Hospital, 12 to Saint
Joseph Hospital and 23 to Beitjala Hospital in Bethlehem. Seven Cases
died and one case is considered clinically dead. 14 other cases are
seriously injured and are now staying in the IC units. Two martyrs fell,
one in Nablus aged 15 years and the other in Ramallah ,aged 16, as a
result of High-Velocity live ammunition bullets.
The Israeli police forces had surrounded Al-Aqsa Mosque and impeded
transferring the injured to hospitals for more than two hours. After
several interventions took place on the part of friendly international
bodies, the injured were at last carried to hospitals. This unjustified
delay by the Israelis has caused an increase in the number of deaths and
serious injuries among citizens.
The Israeli forces have blockaded Al-Maqassed Hospital and prevented
physicians from Ramallah Hospital and medical supplies from accessing to
the Hospital.
The Israeli police forces have broken into Augusta Victoria Hospital and
did not leave until three hours later after the church and the friendly
international bodies had intervened.
The injured received hits in the head and chest. The Israelis used
High-Velocity live ammunition and rubber bullets. In many incidents the
shots hit the eyes as a result of which most of the injured lost their
eyes.
In the early hours of Saturday Sept. 30th, 2000, peaceful
demonstrations broke out in protest against Al-Quds incidents. The
Israeli forces confronted the demonstrators with violent gunfire
and rubber bullets, thereby killing one citizen in Jenin out of a head
injury. 84 cases are now staying in the Hospitals of Ramallah, Hebron,
Bethlehem and Tulkarem, Jenin, Nablus and Jericho. 25 injured were moved
to Ramallah Hospital, 52 to Hebron Hospital 26 to Rafidia Hospital and
one martyr, 8 in Jenin Hospital ,46 in Tulkarem Hospital , 10 in Al-Ahli
Arab Hospital in Hebron, 15 in Al-Ittihad Hospital in Nablus. In Gaza
Provinces, until 1 o’clock, the time when this appeal has been
prepared, 95 cases have been so far admitted to Shifa hospital,12 cases
to Naser Hospital in Khan Younis, 25 cases to Al-Amal Hospital of The
Palestinian Red Crescent Society/Khan Younis. Some of those injuries
were hit with High-Velocity live bullets and the rest were shot with
rubber bullets while the mild cases and tear gas injuries were
discharged after receiving the necessary first aid care.
The Israeli police forces opened fire at two MoH ambulances at Nitsareem
settlement, thereby killing one of the drivers while he was trying to
save a 13- year–old boy who was also killed. The other driver, Fathi
Al-Louh, was carried to the hospital for treatment. His ambulance car
was severely damaged.
The Israeli occupation forces impede the movement of ambulances and
medical staff and supplies between villages and city hospitals.
The Ministry of Health hereby urgently appeals to the World Health
Organization, the Non-Government Organizations worldwide, as well as the
International Community, Governments and Peoples, to exercise pressure
on the Israeli army and Government to immediately stop their inhuman
malpractices against our innocent unarmed Palestinian citizens, so that
there would be no more injuries and life losses.
Dr. Riyadh Za’noun
Minister
of Health
Palestine Affairs Council