Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., March 25, 2009 Adar 29, 5769 | | Israel Time: 19:00 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Joy of Giving Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 11:36 23/03/2009
Rights group: IDF killed 16 medical workers during Gaza op
By Amira Hass and Reuters
Tags: human rights, gaza, IDF 

Israel Defense Forces soldiers did not consider medical teams as entitled to receive the special protection granted to them within the framework of their duties during Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, according to a new report by Physicians for Human Rights due to be released on Monday.

PHR quoted figures issued by the World Health Organization, which showed 16 Palestinian medical personnel were killed by Israeli fire during the offensive and that 25 were wounded while performing their duties.

It said Israel attacked 34 medical care facilities, including eight hospitals.
Advertisement
The report also raises questions of whether IDF soldiers violated the IDF's own ethical code and basic humanitarian values, when they prevented treatment and the evacuation of the wounded and fired at emergency rescue teams and Palestinian medical facilities.

Physicians for Human Rights-Israel (PHR) described alleged incidents that "reveal that not only did the [military] not evacuate besieged and wounded families, it also prevented Palestinian [medical] teams from reaching the wounded."

PHR's report followed accusations by other human rights groups and Palestinians that Israel's actions during the 22-day offensive in the Palestinian coastal enclave, controlled by the Islamist Hamas group, warranted war crimes investigations.

The Israel Defense Forces said the High Court had dismissed a petition PHR lodged on Jan. 19, a day after the offensive ended, and that the allegations were still being investigated.

"At the conclusion of the fighting, the claims were investigated by the [IDF] in a thorough manner, as were many other issues, in the framework of an expert investigation," the military said in a statement.

"The findings...have not yet been concluded. When they have been finalized, [they] will be presented to the public."

PHR described incidents in which it alleged that the IDF "did not allow the evacuation of injured civilians who were besieged for days at a time and left the civilians without food or water for considerable periods."

In its conclusion, PHR said "on the basis of earlier reports published by PHR-Israel, a dangerous and retrograde trend can be identified of an increasing disregard for the obligation to protect medical personnel during operations."

The Israeli military said its forces were instructed to "act with the utmost caution in order not to cause harm to medical vehicles and medical facilities".

It said Hamas fighters had "methodically made use of medical vehicles, facilities and uniforms in order to conceal and camouflage terrorist activity, and in general used ambulances to carry terror activists and weapons."

Last week, Gaza war veterans gave accounts of the killing of civilians and alleged that there was deep contempt for Palestinians among the ranks.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak responded to those accusations by repeating Israel's description of its forces as the most moral in the world. The military said its military advocate-general had ordered an investigation into the alleged incidents.

The Palestinian Center for Human Rights has put the Palestinian death toll during the offensive at 1,434 - 960 civilians, 235 fighters and 239 police. Israeli officials have disputed the figures.
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Military in denial
IDF chief Ashkenazi refuses to believe IDF troops harmed Gaza civilians in cold blood.
Coalitional contention
Labor demands chairmanship of key Knesset committee promised to Lieberman.
  1.   Um Yawn 07:24  |  Baruch Gold 23/03/09
  2.   Israel spends as much time investigating itself as it does 07:36  |  glenna 23/03/09
  3.   Are you quite finished... 08:31  |  Rachel 23/03/09
  4.   ethics in war 09:13  |  zoe 23/03/09
  5.   Amira`s extrange sensitivity for criminals... 09:25  |  UlfT 23/03/09
  6.   Ducks complaint against the IDF 09:52  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 23/03/09
  7.   Why believe them? 10:07  |  Baruch Gold 23/03/09
  8.   Welcome..... 10:12  |  Toby 23/03/09
  9.   What are you all getting at? 10:37  |  Ibn Filastin 23/03/09
  10.   Terrorist organizations routinely use ambulances 10:39  |  Sceptic 23/03/09
  11.   don`t attack the messenger 10:40  |  rm 23/03/09
  12.   Terrorist organizations routinely use ambulances 10:40  |  Sceptic 23/03/09
  13.   This is news? 10:51  |  Rw 23/03/09
  14.   MEDICAL teams or claims of being medical teams or Red crescent 10:52  |  PETER SM 23/03/09
  15.   Sorry guys, but to prevent the treatment of the wounded.... 10:55  |  Swiss (Dino) 23/03/09
  16.   PHR - SUPER duper EFFICIENT 10:56  |  CK Tan 23/03/09
  17.   medical workers 11:52  |  jos 23/03/09
  18.   Unfortunately Sceptic #5 11:52  |  dav 23/03/09
  19.   #2 "Why Trust Them"? As they`re Israeli Physicians!!! 12:01  |  Ari 23/03/09
  20.   Something about PCHR credibility 12:03  |  Sceptic 23/03/09
  21.   Human Wrongs Groups 13:30  |  UsedToPostHere 23/03/09
  22.   Just Wondering Amira of the 960 civilians 14:02  |  Gil 23/03/09
  23.   The so called Right Group did not specify 14:45  |  TOMY 23/03/09
  24.   British article 15:32  |  Graeme A 23/03/09
  25.   Sceptic. Getting silly[as usual] #20 18:26  |  Roo 23/03/09
  26.   Sceptic. Getting silly[as usual] #20 18:26  |  Roo 23/03/09
  27.   Sceptic. Getting silly[as usual] #20 18:53  |  Roo 23/03/09
  28.   Rachel # 3 19:04  |  Peter Mall 23/03/09
  29.   #25 Roo here is one example of the Hasbara 19:17  |  Labhras 23/03/09
  30.   Hamas/PA Target JEWISH INNOCENTS. Israel Targets Terrorists 19:31  |  Linda Rivera 23/03/09
  31.   So what will Israel do about these crimes 19:49  |  Secular 23/03/09
  32.   Linda Rivera-`you tube` my ar5e 20:17  |  Roo 23/03/09
  33.   Linda Rivera #27 Liar. 20:35  |  Roo 23/03/09
  34.   Roo....haven`t you heard? 21:54  |  Maria 23/03/09
  35.   Roo 22:33  |  Nina 23/03/09
  36.   Uh Roo, that was REALLY stupid! 22:58  |  Forrest Schmidt 23/03/09
  37.   LYING ISLAMIC MURDERING TERRORIST BARBARIANS ?? 23:36  |  Bill 23/03/09
  38.   pass the tissues 00:13  |  peter 24/03/09
  39.   Amira`s sensitivity #5 00:19  |  JennyJenkins 24/03/09
  40.   Yawn all you want Baruch Goldstein... 00:28  |  BBSNews 24/03/09
  41.   Anybody can make a "claim" Lets see 01:40  |  jj 24/03/09
  42.   ROOFlee to where Hamas is not deliberately attracting RETURN fire 02:49  |  PETER SM 24/03/09
  43.   It is on film. Gaza Medics getting blown up 03:23  |  Jasper 24/03/09
  44.   why all the denial 03:29  |  gabe 24/03/09
  45.   HUman rights and Islam- No reaction from do gooders 05:40  |  Ron 24/03/09
  46.   #34 Jasper - This is an OUTRAGE !!! 05:49  |  CK Tan 24/03/09
  47.   #33 gabe - going by NUMBERS alone 05:59  |  CK Tan 24/03/09
  48.   To learn the truth about what Israel does 07:20  |  DB 24/03/09
  49.   #2 BS News - You`re making us all Yawn 18:51  |  *BEN JABO 25/03/09
  50.   Since when do "Medical Workers" 18:58  |  *BEN JABO 25/03/09
 Haaretz Hot Topics
Israel 2009 election results: Voter breakdown
Israel goes to the polls
Conflict in Gaza
Israel vs. Hamas
Iran: Nuclear and regional ambitions
More Headlines
17:15 MI chief: Iran has crossed nuclear bomb threshold
17:16 Assad says Syria-Israel talks depend on clear U.S. position
15:18 Netanyahu: I will hold peace talks with Palestinian Authority
18:36 Rights group: Gaza inmate tortured to death by Hamas security
18:02 IDF soldier hurt in Jordan Valley shooting-range accident
16:47 6 Danes convicted of selling T-shirts to fund Palestinian terror
18:35 Rights group: Israel made illegal use of phosphorus shells in Gaza
23:11 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
19:00 Vatican official to rededicate menorah honoring Holocaust victims
17:12 Mother of slain French Jew Ilan Halimi calls for public trial
15:26 Israeli stars fall prey to comic's conman brother
11:22 IDF: 600 Hamas men, 309 civilians died in Gaza offensive
11:45 Palestinians use Animal Farm play to criticize local politics
13:38 Netanyahu, Lieberman 'struck secret deal for West Bank construction'
Previous Editions
Special Offers
Advertisement
Spring Specials-Dan Hotels
Jerusalem from 179$. Tel-Aviv from 223$. Herzliya from 336$
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Camp Kimama Israel 2009
The best place for your children this summer
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Jewish Singles Personal Ads
Find the love of your life on JDate.com
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | | Israel 2009 election results
Site rules | Makom: Engaging on Israel | Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved