First female Palestinian ambulance driver greets fellow women in Gaza on Women's Day

Safiye Bilbasi, the first female Palestinian ambulance driver who works as a health care professional in the Occupied West Bank city of Tulkarm, highlighted the challenges of working in the region, and congratulated her fellow women in the Gaza Strip on International Women’s Day, Anadolu Agency reports.

“If we talk about Women’s Day, the Gazan women have proven themselves the most. I congratulate the Women’s Day to my Palestinian sisters in Gaza thousands of times. You resisted, you took on great responsibilities and you made sacrifices. I congratulate the Women’s Day of all my female colleagues in Gaza and all women,” she added.

Bilbasi said that, despite the difficulties, she is determined to continue pursuing her profession.

Palestinian health care workers strive to carry out their duties in the West Bank, where the Israeli army conducts raids.

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Bilbasi, who has been serving as an ambulance driver in the northern city of Tulkarm for 19 years, told Anadolu that she holds the title of Palestine’s first female ambulance driver.

Having received nursing education and worked as a health care professional for 25 years, Bilbasi said: “Working in the field, especially as health care workers in Tulkarm and Nur Al-Shams refugee camp, our conditions are very harsh. Of course, I am working in a challenging job as a woman. We enter conflicts, but that is the nature of our work.”

Bilbasi said that they face obstacles from the Israeli army while performing their duties in the field, adding that they are prevented from reaching and assisting the wounded and sick in a manner contrary to international humanitarian law.

Emphasising the painful incidents experienced by healthcare workers in conflict zones, Bilbasi further said: “The beautiful aspect of our job is when we meet a patient we transported to the hospital after they have recovered, and they say thank you very much with a smile on their face That is the most positive aspect of this job.”

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