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Cardiologist's killing will have 'devastating impact' on healthcare in Gaza, says medical organisation
Cardiologist's killing will have 'devastating impact' on healthcare in Gaza, says medical organisation

Middle East Eye

timea day ago

  • Health
  • Middle East Eye

Cardiologist's killing will have 'devastating impact' on healthcare in Gaza, says medical organisation

The death of Dr Marwan al-Sultan will leave a "devastating impact" on Gaza's healthcare system, said Muath Alser, director of the Palestinian medical organisation, Healthcare Workers Watch (HWW), on Wednesday. Sultan was one of only two cardiologists left in the Gaza Strip, and the director of the Indonesian hospital in north Gaza, when he was killed in an Israeli air strike on his apartment on Wednesday, along with his wife and at least three of his children. He was taken to Al-Shifa hospital, where his face was said to be unrecognizable. Paying homage to the renowned cardiologist, Alser told The Guardian: 'The killing of Dr Marwan al-Sultan by the Israeli military is a catastrophic loss to Gaza and the entire medical community, and will have a devastating impact on Gaza's healthcare system. 'This is part of a much longer and systematic atrocious targeting of healthcare workers sanctioned by impunity. "This is a tragic loss of life, but also an obliteration of their decades of lifesaving medical expertise and care at a time when the situation facing Palestinian civilians is unfathomably catastrophic,' Alser added. His surviving daughter Lubna Sultan paid tribute to her father at the hospital. "His whole life was devoted to medicine and the struggle to treat patients," she told AFP. "There is no justification for targeting him and his martyrdom" she added. Alser said al-Sultan was the 70th healthcare worker to be killed in Israeli attacks in the last 50 days. Healthcare workers have been disproportionately targeted by Israel.

Renowned doctor killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza
Renowned doctor killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza

The National

timea day ago

  • Health
  • The National

Renowned doctor killed in Israeli airstrike in Gaza

Al-Sultan is the 70th healthcare worker to be killed by Israeli attacks in the last 50 days, according to Healthcare Workers Watch (HWW), a Palestinian medical organisation. Three other doctors were among the 70 healthcare workers killed, along with the chief nurses of the Indonesian hospital and al-Nasser children's hospital, one of Gaza's most senior midwives, a senior radiology technician and dozens of young medical graduates and trainee nurses. READ MORE: MPs vote in favour of proscribing Palestine Action On the first day of Eid, June 6, nine healthcare workers were killed in one day in airstrikes in the north of Gaza, while they were sheltering with their families, according to HWW. Al-Sultan's death is a tragic loss where his expertise has been invaluable with the unfathomable catastrophe facing Palestinians, the director of HWW, Muath Alser said. 'The killing of Dr Marwan al-Sultan by the Israeli military is a catastrophic loss to Gaza and the entire medical community, and will have a devastating impact on Gaza's healthcare system,' said Alser. 'This is part of a much longer and systematic atrocious targeting of healthcare workers sanctioned by impunity. This is a tragic loss of life, but also an obliteration of their decades of lifesaving medical expertise and care at a time when the situation facing Palestinian civilians is unfathomably catastrophic,' Alser added. 'We are in great shock and grief. He cannot be replaced,' said Dr Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza. 'He was a prominent scholar and one of the two remaining cardiologists left in Gaza. Thousands of heart patients will suffer as a result of his killing. His only fault was that he was a doctor. We have no option but to be steadfast, but the sense of loss is devastating.' The total number of healthcare workers who have lost their lives in military attacks since the war began in October 2023 now exceeds 1400, according to the latest UN figures. Insecurity Insight, a conflict data NGO, said it has verified the deaths of hundreds of healthcare workers who have been killed inside health facilities.

What happened to the Palestinian doctors detained by Israeli forces in Gaza?
What happened to the Palestinian doctors detained by Israeli forces in Gaza?

Arab News

time15-04-2025

  • Health
  • Arab News

What happened to the Palestinian doctors detained by Israeli forces in Gaza?

LONDON: Rights groups say Israel is deliberately targeting Gaza's health system, with at least 160 Palestinian medics currently detained having been seized from hospitals. Recently released doctors have described targeted attacks and systematic abuse. Healthcare Workers Watch, a Palestinian watchdog, reported in February that 162 medical staff are being held by Israeli authorities, including 20 doctors and some of Gaza's most senior physicians. The whereabouts of 24 healthcare workers are unknown after they were forcibly removed from hospitals during Israel's military operation, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, following the deadly Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that triggered the conflict. Muath Alser, director of Healthcare Workers Watch, said the detention of medical workers represented a violation of international law, which had exacerbated civilian suffering by stripping Palestinians of essential medical expertise and care. 'Israel's targeting of the healthcare workforce in this manner is having a devastating impact on the provision of healthcare to Palestinians, with extensive suffering, countless preventable deaths, and the effective eradication of whole medical specialities,' Alser told The Guardian. The destruction of Gaza's health infrastructure has been widely documented. A December 2024 report by the UN Human Rights Office revealed that the enclave's healthcare system had been brought to the brink of collapse by repeated raids. Hospitals have been damaged — both directly and indirectly by Israeli airstrikes and combat operations — putting staff and patients at risk. More than 1,000 health workers have been killed, according to the UN. On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike destroyed parts of Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, Gaza City's last fully functional hospital. Witnesses said the strike destroyed the intensive care and surgery departments. Israel said it targeted the hospital because it contained a 'command and control center used by Hamas,' but did not provide any evidence. Governments worldwide condemned the attack, including Saudi Arabia, which described the bombing as a 'heinous crime.' (Source: OCHA) Amid growing concerns over Israel's compliance with international humanitarian law, which is designed to protect hospitals, clinics, ambulances, and their staff, Gaza's health sector is struggling to meet the overwhelming demand. According to the World Health Organization, just 16 of Gaza's 36 hospitals remained partially operational as of January, with fewer than 1,800 beds available for tens of thousands of patients. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, the WHO representative for the West Bank and Gaza, has warned that 'the health sector is being systematically dismantled,' citing shortages of medical supplies, equipment, and personnel. Since October 2023, at least 50,900 Palestinians have been killed and more than 115,688 injured, according to Gaza's health authorities. As of September 2024, a quarter of the wounded had suffered life-changing injuries. The WHO also verified that 297 healthcare workers in Gaza had been detained by the Israeli military since October 2023 but had no details on who was still being held. Healthcare Workers Watch reports that 339 have been detained. Several organizations have shared testimonies from recently released Palestinian doctors describing systematic raids, arrests, and allegations of torture. Physicians for Human Rights–Israel, in a report released in February, said many medical workers had been seized while on duty and held for months without charge under Israel's Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law, which allows indefinite detention without evidence. Several accounts from released detainees include details of physical violence, sexual abuse, verbal insults, and degrading treatment. For instance, Dr. Khaled Alser, 32, a surgeon arrested at Nasser Hospital, said: 'On the day of my arrest, the army ordered the evacuation of the hospital. There was a battalion outside, and they forced us to strip in front of everyone and walk naked for about 30 meters.' He said detainees were left naked for hours before being moved to overcrowded rooms in houses, where they were handcuffed with plastic zip ties for five days and interrogated. 'I was next to my medical colleagues when they took them, tortured and beat them, and later released some while arresting others,' he added. (Source: MAP) Twenty of the 24 medical workers visited by PHRI lawyers said they were arrested while on duty in direct violation of international laws protecting medical staff from interference. In addition, prison authorities employed brutal interrogation methods. One 60-year-old emergency coordinator and ambulance driver said he was tortured with loud music, beatings, and threats. 'I was interrogated in the 'Disco Room' for a week, where the volume was always deafening,' he said. 'They beat me so badly during one session that my tooth filling fell out. 'They poured cold water on me, struck me on the head with a cellphone, and beat me half to death. They threatened to harm my family and parents.' Similarly, a 38-year-old nurse said he was suspended by his wrists from the ceiling, his legs forced backward, and left in that position for hours. 'They humiliated me and spat on me,' he told the PHRI. 'During the interrogation in Ofer Prison, they extinguished cigarettes on my head and poured coffee over me. I was brutally beaten.' International humanitarian law strictly prohibits physical or psychological abuse during interrogations. Article 32 of the Fourth Geneva Convention bars acts that cause physical suffering or extermination of protected persons, including medical personnel. 'Health workers should be protected to do their work,' a WHO spokesperson told Arab News. 'Anyone in detention must have their human and legal rights respected.' Israel has accused Hamas and other militant groups of using hospitals as command centers. Under international humanitarian law, hospitals lose protected status if they are used for military purposes. The deliberate denial of food was also said to be commonplace in Israel's detention facilities. The report said all 24 medical professionals interviewed suffered severe malnutrition, as prison authorities provided inadequate meals — in terms of quality and quantity — that also ignored preexisting health conditions like diabetes, causing lasting damage. One doctor described the food as lacking vitamins and a balanced diet, weakening the detainees' immune systems. PHRI confirmed this by consulting a clinical nutritionist for an expert assessment of conditions at Ofer Prison near Ramallah. Compounding health issues from violent treatment and extreme malnutrition in custody, the testimonies highlighted a severe lack of medical care, even for those with preexisting conditions. The Israeli Prison Service, in a statement to the American broadcaster CNN following the release of PHRI's report, denied knowledge of abuse against Palestinian medical workers inside its facilities and claimed it acted according to local law. In the same vein, the Israeli Defense Forces told the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle it 'operates in accordance with international law and does not detain medical workers due to their work as such.' It denied withholding medical treatment or food and said that 'any mistreatment of detainees, whether during detention or interrogation, is strictly prohibited and constitutes a violation of Israeli and international law, and of IDF regulations.' The IDF added that any mistreatment would be investigated. International human rights organizations and UN agencies have documented Israel's actions in Gaza, accusing it of war crimes. Amnesty International said in December that 'Israel has carried out acts prohibited under the Genocide Convention, with the specific intent to destroy Palestinians in Gaza.' In October 2024, a UN Commission on Detainee Treatment report found that Israeli security forces deliberately killed, detained, and tortured medical personnel, targeted medical vehicles, and tightened the siege on Gaza, restricting permits for medical treatment. 'These actions constitute the war crimes of wilful killing and mistreatment and of the destruction of protected civilian property and the crime against humanity of extermination,' it added. Balkees Jarrah, acting Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, said in August that Israel's 'mistreatment of Palestinian healthcare workers has continued in the shadows.' She called for a thorough investigation into 'the torture and ill-treatment of doctors, nurses, and paramedics, including by the International Criminal Court.' A lawyer representing Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, whose detention by Israeli forces in December sparked international condemnation, said after visiting him in Ofer Prison that the doctor had been tortured, beaten, and denied medical treatment. In addition, the accounts in PHRI's report align with findings by other media and rights organizations, including a 2024 Human Rights Watch report that documented similar abuses. It said the detentions have worsened Gaza's health crisis by limiting access to essential care. Likewise, interviews with The Guardian and Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism revealed testimonies from eight senior Gaza doctors, detailing torture, beatings, starvation, and humiliation during months of detention. Some believe they were singled out for extreme violence because they were doctors. Dr. Issam Abu Ajwa was in the middle of performing emergency surgery on a patient at Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in central Gaza when Israeli soldiers came for him. Describing his ordeal, he said: 'One of the senior interrogators had given instructions that because I was a senior consultant surgeon, they should work hard to make sure that I lost (the use of my hands) and became unable to perform surgery.' He added that he was handcuffed 24 hours a day, and interrogators used planks with chains to restrain his hands for hours at a time. 'They said they wanted to make sure I could never return to work.' None of the eight senior doctors were given an explanation for their detention, the report says. All were released without charge after months in custody. In a statement to DW, the Israeli military rejected the allegations raised by The Guardian, saying: 'During the fighting in the Gaza Strip, suspects of terrorist activities were arrested.' It added: 'The relevant suspects have been taken for further detention and questioning in Israel. Those who are not involved in terrorist activity are released back to the Gaza Strip as soon as possible.' PHRI's report found that Palestinian medical workers were primarily questioned about Israeli hostages, tunnels, hospital structures, Hamas activity, and fellow physicians — rarely about criminal activity or substantive charges. The report said the interrogations appeared focused on 'intelligence gathering rather than investigating alleged security offenses.' It noted that after months in detention, most medical personnel were never formally charged and were denied legal representation. Naji Abbas, director of PHRI's Department for Prisoners and Detainees' Rights, said: 'Through the testimonies, through our visits, we started to understand that the doctors were arrested mainly for collecting information. 'When you hear a doctor saying that he was forced to draw a map of the hospital, when he was asked about his colleagues … you can understand that there is a pattern of questioning … fishing for information,' he told Democracy Now, a left-leaning US news program. In a statement within the February report, Abbas called the 'unlawful detention, abuse, and starvation of Gaza's healthcare workers' a 'moral and legal outrage.' He added that 'medical professionals should never be targeted, detained, or tortured for providing life-saving care,' and demanded Israel 'release all detained medical personnel immediately,' urging the international community to 'demand accountability.'

Readers sound off on Israel's health care prisoners, disrespect to Zelenskyy and ‘Conclave'
Readers sound off on Israel's health care prisoners, disrespect to Zelenskyy and ‘Conclave'

Yahoo

time05-03-2025

  • Health
  • Yahoo

Readers sound off on Israel's health care prisoners, disrespect to Zelenskyy and ‘Conclave'

Los Altos, Calif.: The recent testimony of Dr. Khaled Alser, a renowned Palestinian surgeon at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, sheds light on the brutal conditions faced by Palestinian medical workers in Israeli detention. Abducted by Israeli forces during a raid on Gaza in March 2024, Alser was subjected to seven months of abuse, including physical beatings, sexual humiliation and denial of medical care. No charges were filed against him. He and many other health care workers were targeted solely due to their profession and their efforts to provide care amidst the devastation of the ongoing conflict. This disturbing pattern is documented in the Physicians for Human Rights-Israel report titled 'Unlawfully Detained, Tortured, and Starved: The Plight of Gaza's Medical Workers in Israeli Custody.' The report highlights the systematic abuse faced by Palestinian doctors and medical staff, many of whom are detained without charges. Alser's testimony, along with those of other detainees, describes horrific conditions, including physical violence, sexual assault and forced starvation. These stories call attention to the inhumane treatment of health care workers, who are critical in saving lives amid war. Alser and his colleagues continue to serve their communities despite the grave personal costs. He urges the international community to act, highlighting the dire need for the release of detained health care workers who remain in Israeli custody without due process. The world must not ignore the plight of these individuals who, despite facing unimaginable hardships, remain committed to their oath to provide medical care to all, irrespective of political or military affiliation. Jagjit Singh Bronx: I'm sure that if you asked any driver, one of their biggest gripes would be rude drivers who cut the line while waiting to get off at an exit for a parkway, highway, etc. Can't cameras be installed so when they illegally cross over the white line, they get fined? I'm sure the city and state would make a fortune. John Cirolia Brooklyn: A few weeks ago, I wrote in suggesting that President Trump do a total rehab of public housing. I believe the city should take stewardship of 'ghost' apartments and buildings, repair them and put them back on the market. Owners and the city can negotiate the cost of the repairs and rental prices. In this way, owners will win by having a rentable unit and the city wins with the addition of safe housing. Susan Caprio Manhattan: Longtime New Yorker, comedian, podcaster and activist Corinne Fisher has put in her bid to become the mayor of New York City. With the craziness going on in the mayor's office and the (very) recent announcement of Andrew Cuomo becoming a candidate, I think people need to know that there is another option! The Daily News has many readers in NYC and across the nation. I think constituents of NYC need to know about this grassroots campaign for mayor that could be groundbreaking. I think it would be a great opportunity for the Daily News to do a story/interview on/with Corinne to give her origins, pitch, platform, unique take and why she is taking this unprecedented move. She is eager to reach more New Yorkers (and Americans in general)! Cierra McNair Valhalla, N.Y.: President Trump, the United States is very proud of you for not only standing up to Volodymyr Zelenskyy but showing the world how powerful we still are and how we will stand up to anybody! Now that that's done, let's take a step backwards, have further conversations with Zelenskyy and show the world that despite how powerful we are, we also know how to show compassion. A deep breath by all sides will show how we can work together and reach agreements that benefit all involved. You've shown willingness to reconsider some decisions if they need adjustments — tariffs, layoffs, agency adjustments and listening to the American people and reacting to some of their wishes. This mineral agreement with Ukraine obviously benefits both countries and will lead to lasting peace with Russia and Putin. Russia won't continue attacking if the U.S. is actually working in Ukraine! Michael Grisanti Staten Island: Is the Daily News really planning to cover the story of the shameful, cowardly way that Trump/Vance treated Zelenskyy without mentioning the fact that Trump was impeached in his first term for withholding aid to Ukraine to pressure Zelenskyy into fabricating lies about Joe Biden to help Trump win in 2020? Victor R. Stanwick Little Egg Harbor, N.J.: I can not contain myself any longer regarding the Trump/Vance disgraceful treatment of Zelenskyy. Even if you might be in love with Trump, you should be able to admit when he is wrong. Sounds like Trump throwing Ukraine under the bus is reminiscent of the world appeasing Hitler. Easy to end a war when you let the communistic aggressor take what he wants. Georgia Dolack Brooklyn: I grew up in Lexington, Mass., and remember vividly our April 19 Patriots' Day celebrations. As a kid, my favorite was a trio of bloodstained and bandaged fife and drummers who set off the day. It brought tears to my eyes. It was the fervent love of country instilled at an early age living in that town, with its Minuteman statue of Capt. John Parker at one end of the town's Battle Green and the First Parish Church that had witnessed the battle at the other. Now, 70-some years later, my eyes still well up when I think about what it means to be an American, and particularly when I see our president discard every decent bit of our collective memory in search of humiliating another patriot from across the seas. What can we do to stop this rapid slide into totalitarianism promulgated not by a King George III, but by our own elected leaders? Ed Temple Greenburgh, N.Y.: The governors of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and other states around the nation should direct that the Ukrainian flag be flied alongside the United States and state flags in solidarity with the Ukrainian people. If enough states, counties and municipalities around the nation fly the Ukrainian flag during the month of March, we will send a powerful message to the world that many Americans continue to support the Ukrainian people, democracy and freedom. Paul Feiner Swarthmore, Pa.: Pressures are mounting on Ukraine and its President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to bite the bullet. Soon he will have to bow to the painful inevitability that he will have to cede territory to Russia to stop the devastation being inflicted on his country and the suffering long endured by his people. It doesn't feel right or fair, but who ever said life was fair? The U.S. president is openly hostile to Zelenskyy and his quest to maintain complete territorial integrity of his country. Now even his staunch European allies seem to be wearying of unqualified support. Zelenskyy, a comedian by trade, will go down in history for his heroic, brave and valiant efforts to protect his country's sovereignty in the face of the overwhelming strength and brutality of his country's invaders. A crisis did not make Zelenskyy who he is, it just revealed his steely character. Ken Derow Yonkers: Dear President Elon Musk: Here are my five things I did this week: 1) Searched the cushions for spare change. 2) Saw my primary physician for sudden high blood pressure and migraines. 3) Rolled some pennies to help pay for eggs. 4) Clipped coupons for foods I dislike but that are on sale. 5) Saw a free horror show, live from the White House! Oh, I didn't have to send you this list? Since I can no longer afford the internet, please save this for future reference. P.S.: Please leave your adorable son at home with his mother and siblings. The White House is not a good place for innocent children. Mary Reynolds Massapequa Park, L.I.: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences should choose quality over political correctness when voting for the awards. In no way should 'Anora' have won the Best Picture award when 'Conclave' is a much better film all around. I saw all of the nominated movies. 'Conclave' should have won. Thomas Facchiano

Over 160 Gaza medical workers detained by Israel amid torture reports
Over 160 Gaza medical workers detained by Israel amid torture reports

Express Tribune

time25-02-2025

  • Health
  • Express Tribune

Over 160 Gaza medical workers detained by Israel amid torture reports

Listen to article Over 160 healthcare workers, including more than 20 doctors, are still being detained in Israeli prisons, with reports of widespread abuse and torture. The World Health Organization (WHO) expressed alarm over the inhumane treatment of these vital medical professionals, who are being held in Israeli custody amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Palestinian medical NGO Healthcare Workers Watch (HWW) confirmed that 162 healthcare workers, some of Gaza's most senior physicians, are still being held in Israeli detention facilities, with an additional 24 reported missing after being abducted from hospitals during Israeli raids. The detainees, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics, were subjected to violent interrogations, with multiple reports of torture, beatings, and starvation during their imprisonment. Muath Alser, director of HWW, slammed the detentions as illegal under international law, stressing that the capture of healthcare professionals is a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions, which explicitly prohibit the targeting of medical personnel in conflict zones. Alser also warned that this assault on Gaza's healthcare workforce has compounded the already catastrophic humanitarian crisis, leading to preventable deaths and a collapse of essential medical services. "Israel's actions are directly undermining Gaza's ability to respond to the immense suffering of its people," Alser said. "By detaining medical staff, they are denying Palestinians critical care and exacerbating the already dire situation." According to the WHO, 297 healthcare workers have been detained by Israeli forces since the war began, though reports from HWW suggest that the true number may be higher. Despite these numbers, the WHO has been unable to secure updated information on how many detainees have been released or remain in custody. Testimonies from former detainees, including senior doctors like Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of Gaza's al-Shifa hospital, paint a horrifying picture of life in Israeli detention. Dr. Selmia, who was detained for seven months before being released without charge, described being tortured with rifle butts, attacked by dogs, and deprived of basic necessities such as food, water, and hygiene. 'I was beaten so badly that I couldn't walk,' Dr. Selmia recalled. 'There was no food, no soap, no clean water. I saw people die in those cells. Every day was filled with abuse.' The United Nations' Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNOCH) has condemned Israel's actions, calling for the immediate release of all detained healthcare workers and for an end to practices that amount to torture, enforced disappearances, and other forms of ill-treatment. "Under international humanitarian law, health workers, facilities, and patients must be protected, not targeted," said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO's Director-General. 'The Israeli authorities' continued detainment of Gaza's health professionals is a war crime and an unconscionable attack on human rights." Despite Israel's claims that those detained are suspected of being involved in 'terrorist activities,' the UN and other international bodies have rejected these allegations, demanding evidence to substantiate such claims. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have repeatedly failed to provide proof to justify the widespread detention of medical workers. Israel's defense of its actions, including claims that hospitals were used as 'military centers' by Hamas, has also been called into question by the international community, with no clear evidence produced to support such accusations. 'Israel must be held accountable for its systematic violations of international law,' said Ajith Sunghay, head of UNOCH for the occupied Palestinian territories. 'The ongoing detention and mistreatment of healthcare workers is directly contributing to the destruction of Gaza's healthcare system and the suffering of its people.' The case of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, has drawn widespread condemnation after it was revealed that he had been tortured during his detention in Israeli custody. His lawyer, who was allowed to visit him for the first time in Ofer Prison in Ramallah, confirmed that Abu Safiya had been physically abused, denied medical care, and subjected to cruel and inhumane conditions. As Gaza's medical system continues to collapse under the weight of the Israeli military's war crimes, the international community must take immediate steps to end the abuse of medical personnel and ensure that the detained workers are released without delay. The systematic targeting of healthcare professionals in Gaza is not only a violation of international law but a direct assault on the most basic principles of humanity.

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