Following the tragic deaths of paramedics and a UN worker in Gaza, U.S. State Department calls for all parties to honor humanitarian laws while stressing that retribution lies with Hamas for the ongoing violence.
U.S. Urges Compliance from All Parties in Gaza Amidst Rising Tensions
U.S. Urges Compliance from All Parties in Gaza Amidst Rising Tensions
U.S. officials emphasize the need for adherence to international humanitarian law in Gaza after a deadly incident involving medics and UN personnel.
The United States has voiced expectations that "all parties on the ground" in Gaza must adhere to international humanitarian laws, especially in the wake of recent reports detailing the deaths of 15 individuals, which included paramedics and a UN worker. This statement comes after a troubling incident where these victims were found in a mass grave, as reported by the United Nations.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce noted the critical situation, stating that every occurrence in Gaza stems from actions by Hamas. Reports from the UN's humanitarian agency indicated that on March 23, multiple emergency vehicles, including five ambulances and a fire truck, were deliberately targeted. These incidents resulted in casualties, with the bodies of the deceased located and interred in a collective grave, with some still clad in medical uniforms.
The Israeli military, in their defense, claimed that their forces opened fire on vehicles that were moving suspiciously, suggesting that militant individuals were present among those harmed. Nonetheless, they did not address the accounts surrounding the circumstances of the mass grave. Under international humanitarian law, it is explicitly prohibited to target civilians, and medical personnel are granted specific protections that should be upheld.
As a major supplier of arms to Israel, the U.S. also finds itself under legal obligations that prevent its weapons from being utilized in ways that contravene these humanitarian guidelines. Jonathan Whittall, head of the UN's humanitarian agency in Gaza, labeled the situation a "horror" and stressed that healthcare providers should never be subjected to attacks.
Israel intensified its military operations in Gaza on March 18 following stalled negotiations regarding a ceasefire agreement with Hamas. Since then, the ongoing hostilities have resulted in more than 1,000 fatalities in Gaza, according to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry, as the conflict continues to escalate. The recent surge in violence follows an unprecedented attack by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and left 251 individuals taken hostage. The health ministry in Gaza has reported that the casualty count has surpassed 50,350 in the ongoing conflict.
