The IRC warns escalating violence in the West Bank threatens to collapse the health system

Amman, Jordan, September 20, 2024- The IRC is concerned about the impact of intensifying violence on the health care access and delivery in the West Bank, where our partners are surging medical supplies to the impacted hospitals. Some of our partners have been forced to halt their work.

The West Bank is facing the worst violence since the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) recordsbegan in 2005.

Israel's latest military incursions targeting the Northern West Bank, including Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarm and Tubas were the most destructive since 2002, with 30 Palestinians killed, including seven children. This intensified fighting has included unprecedented use of airstrikes and heavy weaponry. The fighting is taking place close to hospitals and is obstructing ambulances - which restricts Palestinians' access to urgent medical care. The UN reports that in both Tulkarm and Jenin, Israeli Forces surrounded hospitals and obstructed access to patients. The WHO has reported that such attacks on healthcare have increased throughout 2024.

IRC partners responded to the humanitarian needs of the affected communities by providing medical supplies to the impacted hospitals. Other partners had to cease operations due to the ongoing hostilities and the impact on staff and humanitarian operations.

Since 7 October, more than 600 Palestinians have been killedin the West Bank, 25 per cent of them children, nearly a 123 per cent increase compared to the same period last year. At the same time, 20 Israelis were killed in the West Bank.

Bart Witteveen, IRC's Country Director for the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), said,

"Rising violence is undermining the health system in the West Bank, as hospitals are not prepared to handle mass casualty incidents, nor withstand continued attacks on facilities and personnel. Recently, IRC and its partners launched a program to enhance emergency preparedness for health services in the West Bank, focusing on Tulkarm and Hebron, some of the areas worst hit by violence in the last year.We are working to prepare hospitals and communities by surging necessary supplies and training staff personnel to handle increased demand for life-saving services during emergencies via new trauma care protocols as well as first aid training for community volunteers.Our ultimate goal is to work with our Palestinian partners to strengthen the health system's capacity and maintain critical health services during crises, saving as many lives as possible."

The intensifying military raids and increased use of heavy weaponry are unprecedented in recent years and have further increased casualties. Since 7 October, Israeli airstrikes have killeddozens of Palestinians in the West Bank. According to the UN, the use of airstrikes and other military-grade weapons in the West Bank are a violationof international human rights law, the framework which governs law enforcement operations, resulting in higher civilian casualties and destruction of civilian infrastructure.

Access to healthcare is a matter of life and death. Under international law Israel is defined as the occupying power. As a result Israel must uphold its obligations to ensure immediate and active protection of civilians and health care services in the West Bank.