Killed in line of duty

On 4 December 2024, the Movement lost Alaa Al-Derawi, a staff member of the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) was shot and killed on a return trip after successfully transferring a patient from the field hospital to the European Gaza Hospital. Alaa recently started working closely with the Red Cross Field Hospital as a PRCS Emergency Medical Service paramedic. Alaa leaves behind his wife, one boy and one girl, in addition to his sister’s family that has depended on him since her husband’s death a few months prior.

Conflict situation

Military operations near the Field Hospital continue.  On 15 November 2024, the Field Hospital received 20 patients following an attack near the “Fish Fresh” market approximately 500 meters from the hospital. Nearly weekly occurrence of mass casualty incidents (MCI) in October reinforced the need to have regular trainings/refreshers for MCI protocols.

MCIs necessitate working together with other health-care facilities, such as the Nasser Medical Complex (for admission to the intensive care unit), Al Aqsa, and the European Gaza Hospital. The PRCS plays a key role in patient transfers between the field hospital and aforementioned partner hospitals, psycho-social support services for patients and their families, as well as other departments within the field hospital.