Major Basil: Direct Israeli targeting of civil defense in Gaza results in the death of 14 people.

Major Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense apparatus in the Gaza Strip, confirmed that the Israeli occupation continues to deliberately and directly target those protected by international humanitarian law, noting that hospitals are sacred places that are no different from churches and mosques.

Basal pointed out that the occupation carried out a direct attack on a hospital, resulting in the martyrdom of 14 people in an instant, as the shell was fired directly at the hospital in front of the eyes and ears of the world.

He explained that the civil defense teams, health workers, and journalists are all protected by international humanitarian law, and that they should not be harmed in any way; however, the occupation targeted doctors in operating rooms and journalists while they were present in the area.

Basal also mentioned that rescue teams were directly targeted as soon as they arrived to begin evacuation operations, resulting in the martyrdom of one team member, raising the number of civil defense martyrs to 138.

He added that 7 others sustained serious injuries, 3 of whom are in intensive care and may die at any moment.

Basal called on the international community to assume its responsibilities, emphasizing the urgent need to immediately stop the direct targeting of health facilities and civil defense teams.

He urged the establishment of fixed and safe humanitarian corridors for teams to operate without any restrictions or obstruction by the occupation forces, stressing the necessity of allowing the entry of all supplies, capabilities, and resources.

He also demanded an independent international investigation into this crime that claimed the lives of civil defense members, photographers, and journalists, noting that the world had actually moved after the targeting of Al Jazeera reporters in Gaza two weeks ago.

Basal expressed his belief that there is a strong uprising that could prevent the occupation from repeating this scenario, but he pointed out that the occupation targeted 14 members, not 6, indicating that there are no red lines.

He called on the world to understand and recognize the seriousness of what is happening in the Gaza Strip, noting that just as it recognized the seriousness of famine, it must now realize that Gaza is being killed and innocent people are being murdered there.