Wednesday 30 July 2014
International activists risk lives to protect Gaza’s ambulances under fire
‘A team of international activists in Gaza acted as “human shields” this afternoon to secure medications for injured and disabled Palestinians by accompanying Red Crescent ambulances into a firing zone in Gaza City. The activists are all foreign nationals, hailing from the United Kingdom, United States and Sweden.
To reach el-Wafa Rehabilitation Hospital the internationals crossed heavy Israeli military shelling from the air and border area. The medical facility was destroyed beyond use by Israeli missiles Thursday evening. The Israeli military had said weapons were being launched from nearby the hospital and said Hamas had used the facility as a “human shield.”
When the human rights defenders reached el-Wafa they found the remains of the facility was smoking from a strike earlier today. The internationals were unable to enter the burning building to retrieve medications.’
