Medical Referral Committee Staff in Gaza Suspend Work in Protest Against Assaults and Smear Campaigns
Gaza – Staff members of the Medical Referral Committee in the Gaza Strip have decided to suspend their work following assaults by angry citizens—incidents sparked by objections to the mechanisms governing the travel of patients and the wounded for treatment outside the Strip.
This move comes amidst rising tensions regarding the medical referral and travel process, and what Ministry of Health staff in Gaza describe as a “fierce campaign” on social media. This campaign has escalated beyond criticism to include defamation, threats, and the spread of rumors, raising serious concerns regarding the safety of the staff and their families.
The staff explained that several factors complicate the work of the medical referral committees, including limits on the number of patients and wounded individuals permitted to travel, frequent border crossing closures, and a heavy workload that is disproportionate to the number of cases actually able to leave; this results in a significant administrative and humanitarian effort yielding limited outcomes.
The staff called on the Ministry of Health to address the crisis through a comprehensive, root-cause solution. This should begin with increasing the number of patients and wounded individuals allowed to travel and halting frequent changes to security clearance procedures. They also urged the launch of an ongoing public awareness campaign to clarify the referral mechanism, procedures, and constraints affecting patient travel.
Furthermore, they demanded that any solution ensure staff protection, respect for their professional roles, and a safe working environment, emphasizing that protesting procedures or advocating for patients’ rights does not justify assaulting or threatening employees. The staff emphasized the need for a public apology from those who assaulted employees and for the acknowledgment of the Medical Referral Committee staff’s right to perform their duties free from threats or defamation. At the same time, they affirmed the right of patients and the wounded to receive clear and fair information regarding travel opportunities and procedures for medical treatment.
The staff asserted that resolving the referral crisis cannot be achieved through assaults or smear campaigns; rather, it requires addressing root causes, increasing the number of travelers, standardizing procedures, and enhancing transparency and communication with the public.
التاريخ 18-9-2026
