Gaza civil defence appeals for equipment to support rescue effort

The General Directorate of Palestinian Civil Defence in the besieged Gaza Strip has appealed to the international community and human rights institutions to urgently and immediately intervene to allow the entry of rescue equipment amid the ongoing Israeli attacks on the blockaded enclave.

“Our crews, with their limited capabilities, have responded to the calls of citizens since the beginning of this brutal aggression against our people,” the body said in a press conference yesterday and called to send heavy equipment and machinery to help remove the rubble of buildings and homes destroyed by the Israeli bombardment.

It warned of the Israeli occupation’s continued deliberate targeting of its crews including ambulances, in flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and human rights laws. Adding that its crews, including ambulances, firefighters and rescue teams, have responded to more than 570 tasks including retrieving victims from under the rubble, while demand for its services are steadily increasing.

It pointed out that the Israeli occupation deliberately targeted civil defence crews in more than one area, which led to the “martyrdom and injury” of a number of its members, hindered its work in providing relief to those in need and increasing the seriousness of the catastrophic situation.

The intensity of the violent and simultaneous raids in the thousands, and the destruction of homes and residential towers has exceeded its capacity and capabilities, it explained.

It denounced the Israeli occupation’s obstruction of its crews, preventing them from entering neighbourhoods and areas that are being targeted and destroyed, and blocking roads, which contributed to greatly exacerbating the number of victims.

It also pointed out that many citizens have lost their lives under the rubble due to the delay of relief teams, the lack of material and human capabilities and weak equipment.

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