GAZA, (PIC)
Ibrahim Saqr was not responding to an emergency when he was targeted. He was not rushing toward a bombing site or carrying the wounded in his arms. He was simply on his way to begin his daily shift as a paramedic, on a day that was, in theory, part of a ceasefire. But in western Gaza City, in the al-Tawam area, that routine journey ended before it could begin.
Local sources reported that Saqr was targeted and martyred on Wednesday in what they described as a direct strike while heading to work. He never reached the ambulance, never met his colleagues, and never began the day he had long devoted to saving others.
A deliberate strike
Fares Afana, head of ambulance and emergency services in Gaza’s medical services sector, said the incident was not accidental but a deliberate targeting.
“The occupation, as usual, prepares a false narrative to justify the crime,” Afana said, adding that targeting medical personnel has become a recurring pattern throughout the war.
He confirmed that Saqr was directly struck while en route to his workplace in al-Tawam, stressing that ambulance crews carry out purely humanitarian duties despite facing constant danger.
Afana pointed to previous incidents, including one in Rafah where ambulance and civil defense personnel were martyred, describing such cases as evidence of ongoing violations against humanitarian workers.
Rising toll among medical teams
According to Afana, more than 250 ambulance and civil defense personnel have been martyred in Gaza since the start of the war, including 17 in the northern part of the territory.
Despite the risks, medical teams continue to operate, with ambulances dispatched daily across Gaza to respond to emergency calls and transport the wounded, particularly children and women in displacement areas.
A ceasefire in name only
Saqr’s killing comes amid continued violations of what is described as a ceasefire. Local estimates indicate that hundreds have been killed since the ceasefire agreement was announced in October last year.
Figures suggest that between 818 and 972 people have been martyred during this period, with more than 2,300 injured. Ceasefire violations have exceeded 2,400 incidents, including gunfire, airstrikes, and military incursions.
Health officials say the reality on the ground reflects no genuine halt in hostilities, as attacks continue almost daily, making humanitarian work increasingly dangerous.
In Gaza, even the act of heading to save lives can become a fatal journey, turning paramedics like Ibrahim Saqr into victims of the very violence they strive to confront.
