March 19, 2024
Haiti: Escalating violence in the country is raising alarm at Doctors of the World
On World Humanitarian Day, we’re calling on governments to stop violence against healthcare workers and civilians in conflict zones.
Attacks on healthcare workers, hospitals and ambulances should never occur.
The targeting of humanitarian workers, such as doctors and nurses, represents a serious violation of international human rights law.
From Gaza, Palestine, to Sana’a, Yemen, attacks on healthcare workers and the civilian population are on the rise. Healthcare workers are continuously prevented from providing relief to communities in need and civilians are increasingly targeted in conflict.
Today, along with the rest of the Médecins du Monde/Doctors of the World network, we’re calling for the protection of healthcare workers and civilians around the world.
PALESTINE
Between March and June 2018, 2 healthcare workers were killed and 362 were injured in Gaza, Palestine. While trying to provide care to the civilian population, workers were attacked with live ammunition while ambulances were damaged and destroyed.
Doctors of the World is calling on the Israeli government to ensure that the Israeli Security Forces comply with international human rights standards for law enforcement. We ask the Israeli government to hold perpetrators accountable for the attacks on healthcare workers, and to guarantee that all healthcare services and personnel are protected.
YEMEN
On August 9th, an airstrike hit a school bus in Saada, Yemen, killing 51 people including 40 children. The horrifying event is just one example of the thousands of innocent people that become targets during conflict. In Yemen, an estimated 10,000 people have died since the beginning of the conflict in 2015.
In addition to the targeting of civilians, ports of entry into Yemen are often blockaded, making it extremely difficult for humanitarian actors to provide resources to Yemenis under attack. We call on all parties to the Yemen conflict to cease attacks on innocent civilians and to allow humanitarian actors to access those in need. Civilians are #NotATarget.