VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

File - The Indonesian Hospital in Gaza, Palestine. (ANTARA/HO-MER-C/pri.) - 

Voinews, Jakarta - The Indonesian Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) will ask the World Health Organization (WHO) to investigate the occupation of Indonesia Hospital in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), which uses it as their headquarters.

"MER-C will send a letter to the WHO requesting it to send an investigation team," MER-C Presidium Chair Sarbini Abdul Murad stated on Thursday.

Apart from urging the WHO to investigate Indonesia Hospital being used as a military base, Murad also called on the organization to appeal to Israeli soldiers to leave the facility.

"The WHO has the authority to do that," he stated.

On November 6, 2023, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari accused the hospital of having a tunnel and being used as headquarters for the Palestinian militant group, Hamas. However, this allegation has been denied with no proof, Murad remarked.

After the one-week ceasefire, Israel gave an ultimatum for Indonesia Hospital in Gaza to be vacated. Apart from asking the health workers and patients to leave, the Israeli troops also used the hospital as a military base.

Murad noted that the action had clearly violated international humanitarian law by using hospitals as shields. Moreover, hospitals are neutral institutions that cannot be occupied by soldiers.

"There should be no military presence in hospitals, and we strongly condemn that," he emphasized.

Responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, Murad criticized the approach of the United Nations (UN), which appeared to be passive.

To stop Israel's crime against Palestinians, instead of merely condemning the aggression, the global community should take concrete steps to end it, he stated//ANT-VOI