Palestine Red Crescent official killed
4 March 2002

The Head of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) Emergency Medical Service (EMS) in Jenin, Dr. Khalil Sulieman, 58, was killed today. He was evacuating an injured girl in a PRCS ambulance from the Palestinian refugee camp of Jenin, in the West Bank.

The ambulance was hit during an operation of the Israeli army in the camp. Four other Palestine Red Crescent paramedics - two in Dr. Khalil's vehicle and two in a second ambulance, as well as a volunteer, were injured in the incident

Dr. Khalil was single. He has been head of the EMS in Jenin for ten years. He started working with the Palestine Red Crescent as a volunteer some 20 years ago.

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross have expressed their deepest condolences to the Palestine Red Crescent leadership and to Dr. Khalil's family.

The ICRC and the International Federation are extremely concerned that there is insufficient respect for emergency health services in this violent situation and urge both sides to respect the safety and security of emergency health personnel of the Palestine Red Crescent and of its Israeli counterpart, the Magen David Adom.

Dr. Khalil is the second PRCS worker to be killed since the current cycle of violence erupted, in late September 2000. Bassam Balbeisi, an emergency medical technician, was killed in Gaza, in October 2000 as he was trying to save two civilians caught in cross-fire between Palestinians and Israelis in the occupied territory. A total of 122 PRCS volunteers and personnel have been injured since September 2000.

Over the same period, six Magen David Adom emergency health workers were injured.

For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact:

For the Federation:
Marie-Françoise Borel, Information Officer Tel.: + 41 22 730 4346 / + 41 79 217 33 45

For the ICRC:
Vincent Lusser, Information Officer Tel.: + 41 22 730 2458 / + 41 79 217 3224

The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 181 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.