Even before the April 1 killing of six international humanitarian workers with the World Central Kitchen Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza did not spare anyone.
Aid workers, medics, civil defense workers, UNRWA members, firefighters, police officers were all killed in large numbers by Israel’s relentless airstrikes on Gaza in the last six months.
According to a report issued by the World Health Organization on March 20, Israeli forces carried out 410 attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system.
The brutal attacks have “resulted in 685 fatalities, 902 injuries, damage to 99 facilities and affected 104 ambulances”, according to the WHO.
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The Palestine Chronicle spoke with a Palestinian nurse about the killing of three medics from the city of Beit Hanoun, in northern Gaza, by an Israeli strike on April 4.
On that day, Israeli occupation forces bombed an ambulance belonging to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which was on its way to transport wounded and dead bodies in Beit Hanoun, resulting in the killing of the three.
‘He Saved Dozens from Death’
Palestinian nurse Yaqoub Hamad told us that, among the killed medics, was his 33-year-old colleague Hussein Matar.
“My colleague Hussein remained at his post at the Kamal Adwan Hospital from the very first day of the war on Gaza, refusing to leave the northern area of the Strip, enduring hunger and thirst for the last six months,” Matar told The Palestine Chronicle.
“Hussein only left briefly during its invasion by the occupation forces and returned after their withdrawal. He continued to provide medical services to the wounded and never took off his medic uniform,” he continued.
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According to Hamad, “Hussein helped save dozens of Palestinian wounded from death, evacuated hundreds of injured people, provided medical services and first aid to the wounded. He worked tirelessly, day and night.”
“He also lost many loved ones, but continued his work nonetheless, because he thought it was the noblest of humanitarian actions in this horrific war.”
Died in Uniform
Hamad told us that Hussein was wearing the official medic uniform when he was killed.
“This did not prevent the occupation from bombing them, committing yet one more crime in the Gaza Strip.”
Hamad has known Hussein for over 15 years. They studied together at the Islamic University in Gaza City.
“Hussein was an ambitious young man who loved life and Palestine. He had many plans for the future, he wanted to complete his higher education, but Israel killed him, along with his dreams, on the 25th day or Ramadan”.
Hamad told us that Hussein had a beautiful voice and “was blessed by God with the memorization of the entire Quran, leading people in Taraweeh prayers during the month of Ramadan.”
This Ramadan, however, he chose to continue his humanitarian work, considering it more important under these horrific circumstances.
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Prophetic Dream
“At the beginning of Ramadan, Hussein had a dream,” Hamad told us.
“He dreamed that he would be martyred on the 25th of Ramadan, and indeed, this is precisely the day he was killed by the occupation’s bombing,” the Palestinian nurse continued, with a trembling voice.
He informed his colleagues that he dreamt of his own martyrdom to be on the 25th of Ramadan.
Paramedic Hussein Matar was martyred today the 25th of Ramadan after the occupation targeted his ambulance with a 💣
His ambulance crews are now expressing their farewell before his… pic.twitter.com/tgUsrkiCEW
— Falasteen (@falastineisme) April 5, 2024
“Hussein was killed while wearing his medic uniform,” he repeated, calling for the international community to investigate this crime.
“My hope is that the current round of negotiations would result in an immediate and urgent halt to the criminal war that Israel has been waging against the population of Gaza.”
(The Palestine Chronicle)
– Abdallah Aljamal is a Gaza-based journalist. He is a contributor for The Palestine Chronicle from the Gaza Strip. His email is abdallahaljamal1987@gmail.com
