FREE AHMED MUHANNA CAMPAIGN
Order our free posters to put pressure on our Foreign Secretary Hadja Lahbib, who seems to be ignoring the war crimes perpetrated against the healthcare system and the genocide in Gaza. Together, let's put pressure on her to finally take responsibility.
Petition – Facebook – Instagram – twitter – poster*
Why Dr Ahmed Muhanna?
Dr Ahmed Muhanna is the director of AWDA Hospital in Jabalia (northern Gaza), an organisation with which Viva Salud has been working for nearly 20 years. Dr Muhanna was abducted by Israeli soldiers on 17 December 2023 while working at the hospital. Since 7 October, we had been in regular contact with him: he warned us bombing and abuses against civilians and healthcare workers in Gaza.
For a long time, we had no news of him. We believe he is now being held in Naqab prison, deep in the desert. At present, his family has no information about his physical or mental condition.
Also arrested by Israeli soldiers on 17 December at Al Awda Hospital, Dr Adna Al Burh, who practised orthopaedic surgery, was tortured and killed in an Israeli prison on 3 May. The Dr Mohammed Abu Salmiya, director of Al Shifa Hospital, was recently released by the Israeli army after seven months in detention. Upon his release, he testified that he and other healthcare workers had been subjected to physical torture and psychological humiliation.
We are therefore very concerned about the current state of health of Dr Muhanna and the seven other staff members, patients and visitors who were abducted.
At least 214 healthcare workers have been arrested by Israeli forces while at work since 7 October, and at least 128 of them were still in detention on 30 May 2024.
End impunity
Through the figure of Dr Muhanna, we wish to highlight the government's complete inaction. Attacks against healthcare workers and health infrastructure constitute war crimes condemned by the Geneva Conventions. Ratified by Belgium, it is now the responsibility of our government and Minister Hadja Lahbib to act, to oppose and to sanction the systematic human rights violations committed by Israel.
We demand:
- Political and economic sanctions, such as banning imports of goods and services from Israeli settlements and suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
- A strict military embargo
- Official recognition of the State of Palestine by the Belgian State.
For healthcare workers in Palestine, order our posters, join our actions (which we communicate via Facebook and Instagram) and make some noise on social media by tagging our Minister Hadja Lahbib (@hadjalahbib).
*These posters may not be stuck on public roads