An Israeli airstrike has destroyed medical facilities in Gaza belonging to Christian Aid’s local partner, the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS). The Al Samer clinic was established in 2006 and was one of the few original clinics left in Gaza.
Employing 45 people and treating up to a 1,000 people every day, it was a cornerstone of community health and one of the most vital facilities of its kind.
A PMRS colleague at the clinic said: “It all happened so suddenly. We just heard a commotion in the street, and then someone came and told us they were planning to strike the building and the entire block.
“They gave us thirty minutes to evacuate. Everyone rushed out, and about half an hour later they hit the building. The whole tower came down, and even the entire block suffered massive destruction.
“It all happened before the news crews even arrived. There were people at work inside at the time, and they scattered as it happened. In the end, each of us just grabbed whatever we could carry and left. We couldn’t take much, hardly anything at all.”
A PMRS spokesperson said: “This latest destruction is part of a wider pattern. In the last three weeks alone, three of our clinics have been targeted: Al-Shatae Primary Health Care clinic — destroyed; Tal al-Hawa clinic — partially damaged; Omar al-Mukhtar clinic — now destroyed.
“These deliberate attacks are systematically dismantling what little remains of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure and shows Israel’s total disregard for the international community and the humanitarian principles our international partners stand for.”
Katie Roxburgh, Christian Aid’s Programme Manager for Gaza, said: “Our partners’ lifesaving work in Gaza is being constantly degraded by the Israeli military. Two weeks ago, it was our partner PCHR’s HQ office building in Gaza City. Now this.
“It’s hard to find the words when almost every day for nearly two years there’s a new horror. This was a clinic – it should be a safe place where people can come for help. Instead, they came and were bombed.”
As a first step towards a just and sustainable peace for Palestinians and Israelis, Christian Aid is calling for a full and permanent ceasefire and the release of all hostages along with an end to the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Services at the Al Samer clinic located on Omar al-Mukhtar Street, west of al-Samer Square, included:
- General primary healthcare
- Women’s health services
- Mental health and psychosocial support
- Community health awareness programmes
- A safe space supported through an EU project
- Specialized doctors in cardiology, endocrinology, pulmonology, nephrology, nutrition, and ophthalmology
- Physiotherapy and outreach wound-dressing teams
- The largest laboratory in Gaza, supporting hospitals with lab tests
Press contact :
probertson@christian-aid.org