On March 24, 2024, Israeli forces detained Palestinian doctor Khaled Al Serr from Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza. He has since been held in conditions amounting to enforced disappearance. Over two months later, Israeli authorities still conceal his fate and whereabouts. His family has only received scant information from his colleagues and released detainees.
Israeli authorities must immediately release Dr. Khaled Al Serr. They must also disclose the whereabouts and legal status of all Palestinian health workers from Gaza who have been forcibly disappeared. Until Dr. Al Serr is released, authorities must inform his family of his fate, whereabouts, and grounds for detention. They must ensure he has access to a lawyer, medical care, and family visits
Here’s what you can do:
Write to the Military Advocate General of the Israel Defense Force urging him to:
- Immediately release Dr. Khaled Al Serr.
- Disclose the whereabouts and legal status of all Palestinian health workers from Gaza who have been forcibly disappeared.
- Ensure that unless they are charged with internationally recognized criminal offenses and prosecuted in fair trials, these Palestinian health workers be released.
- Pending his release, ensure that the prison authorities immediately inform Dr. Khaled Al Serr’s family of his whereabouts, fate and grounds of arrest, if any.
Write to:
Brig. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi
Military Advocate General
Israel Defense Forces
Fax: +972(0)35694526
Email: pazar@idf.il
Salutation: Dear Brig. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi,
And copy:
His Excellency Iddo Moed
Ambassador
Embassy of the State of Israel
50 O’Connor Street, Suite 1005
Ottawa, ON K1P 6L2
Tel: (613) 750-7500 Fax: (613) 750-7555
Email: info@ottawa.mfa.gov.il
Detention of Dr. Khaled Al Serr
On March 24, 2024, Israeli forces detained Dr. Khaled Al Serr, a 32-year-old Palestinian surgeon, from Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza. He was taken along with other health workers. His family learned about his detention from his colleagues. Since then, they have received no information from Israeli authorities about his condition, whereabouts, or the reasons for his arrest. Released detainees reported that Dr. Al Serr was subjected to torture and other ill-treatment.
Widespread arbitrary detentions
Since October 7, 2023, and particularly since the start of ground operations in Gaza at the end of October, Israeli authorities have used the Unlawful Combatants Law to detain thousands of Palestinians without charges or trial. Detainees, including Dr. Al Serr, have been held incommunicado, outside the protection of the law, in conditions amounting to enforced disappearance.
These actions violate international humanitarian and human rights law. Torture, ill-treatment, and enforced disappearance are crimes under international law. Arbitrary detention during armed conflict and occupation is a war crime and may amount to crimes against humanity under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system
The detention of health workers like Dr. Khaled Al Serr is part of ongoing attacks on Gaza’s healthcare system. Healthcare workers face horrific conditions, long shifts without food and clean water, and frequent communication blackouts due to military operations. As of June 5, only 16 of Gaza’s 36 main hospitals are partially functional, severely limiting the services they can provide.
Join our campaign to demand the immediate release of Dr. Khaled Al Serr and an end to the enforced disappearance of Palestinian health workers. Send your letter to the Israeli authorities now.
Please take action as soon as possible until August 2, 2024! The UA will be duly updated should there be the need for further action.
