Weekly Press Release
1-7 November 2003
During this reporting period, the Israeli Army has continued to violate the First and Fourth Geneva Conventions and the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights by denying freedom of movement to Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) ambulances
and its medical teams, who were threatened by gunfire, humiliated and verbally abused. Delays, denial of access and
arbitrary searches had a negative impact on the sick and the wounded in Gaza, Nablus, Tubas, Bethlehem, Qalqilia and
Jericho.
Khan Younis (Khuza’a area), 6 November 2003 (21:30): A PRCS ambulance was on its way to transport injured persons to
hospital. As the ambulance approached the area, Israeli soldiers began firing towards it. The ambulance immediately
notified the EMS station and requested ICRC coordination. A second attempt to enter the area failed due to heavy gunfire
from the Israeli soldiers. The soldiers denied the ambulance access for three hours before finally allowing it to
transport the injuries to hospital.
Khan Younis (Khuza’a area), 6 November 2003 (21:30): A second PRCS ambulance dispatched to the above mentioned location
was also prevented from transporting injuries to hospital due to heavy Israeli Army gunfire. Israeli soldiers denied the
ambulance access for one hour before allowing it to transport one injury to hospital. The same ambulance returned to the
scene in order to transport additional injuries but was denied access for four hours.
Nablus, 6 November 2003 (03:15): Israeli soldiers stopped a PRCS ambulance on its way to Ras Al-a’ain Street to
transport an injured person in critical condition to hospital. The soldiers ordered the crew out of the ambulance and
searched it. The soldiers detained the ambulance for 30 minutes and then denied its access. A second attempt to access
the injured person succeeded. However, by the time the ambulance reached the hospital, the woman was pronounced dead by
hospital officials.