Petition: IDF targets ambulances

[Scurrilous]

Human rights groups petition High Court , say IDF preventing medical teams from assisting Gazans hurt in strikes

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3652515,00.html

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"Eight different human rights organizations filed an urgent petition with the High Court of Justice Wednesday, demanding that the IDF be prevented from attacking medical teams and ambulances operating in Gaza.

The petitioners are demanding that the IDF allow emergency medical teams to assist the injured and facilitate their evacuation to the hospital.

The petition claims that since the military operation in Gaza was launched, many cases have been recorded where the army fired medical staff assisting Palestinians wounded in the IDF offensive.

The petitioners claim that the numerous cases reported indicate that attacks on medical teams are not accidental. In addition, they are claiming that the IDF procedure for approving the ambulances' movement is inefficient, time-consuming, and usually results in failure to get through to casualties.

The court has ordered the State to respond to the petition by Thursday morning."

[Scurrilous]

1. Red Cross slams Israel over access to Gaza wounded

Aid group claims Israel refuses to allow rescuers reach sites in Gaza hit by IDF shelling and evacuate wounded

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3652757,00.html

<snip>

"The International Committee of the Red Cross says it has found four small children alive next to their mothers' bodies in a Gaza home hit by Israeli shelling.

The aid group says a total of 15 dead were recovered from two houses in the Zaytun neighborhood of Gaza City on Wednesday.

Red Cross spokesman Pierre Wettach said Thursday rescuers had been refused permission by Israeli forces to reach the site for four days. He described the incident as "shocking."

The Geneva-based group said in a statement that "the Israeli military failed to meet its obligation under international humanitarian law to care for and evacuate the wounded."

It added that the delay in allowing access to rescue services was "unacceptable."