Palestinian aid workers rap attack on hospital in Syria’s Yarmouk

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has denounced a missile attack on one of its hospitals in Syria’s Yarmouk refugee camp, where several members of its voluntary staff were killed.

In a press release on Monday, the society censured the targeting of its medical staff during the ongoing conflict in Yarmouk, which killed seven staff members, including senior Hamas leader Yehya Horani late in March, and wounded dozens of others since the start of the conflict, the Palestinian news agency, Wafa, reported.

Horani was killed in the Palestinian hospital in Yarmouk refugee camp while carrying out his humanitarian duty. He was active in relief and humanitarian work and training hundreds of paramedics and nurses.

The PRCS further urged all sides of the conflict to ensure the protection of civilians, fulfill their responsibilities and take all necessary measures to ensure safe access of the victims to medical treatment.

Following attacks by Takfiri terrorists who are now in control of parts of the Palestinian refugee camp near Damascus, hundreds of families were evacuated.

ISIL militants were in control of the camp until 2014, when a deal with the Syrian government saw the group withdraw. The Syrian army has since then besieged the camp as it has turned into a major bastion for spreading anti-government militancy.

The UN Security Council on Monday called for humanitarian aid access to the civilians caught in the Yarmouk camp amid clashes between Palestinian armed factions and the ISIL terror group.

The 15-member council urged protection for thousands of refugees in the camp, which was stormed by the ISIL on April 1. The militants apparently launched the attack in tandem with rivals from the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front.