Child dies, women give birth at checkpoints: Life in Nablus under siege

The IDF blockade of the Nablus district has caused critical disruptions to emergency services: delays at checkpoints, births in ambulances, and the death of a child due to inability to reach a hospital in time. Human rights groups and the Red Cross say the Geneva Convention is being violated.

The blockade of the Nablus district, imposed by the Israel Defense Forces, has caused critical disruptions to emergency services and restricted local residents' access to medical care. According to the Palestinian Red Crescent, checkpoints around the district are blocking the evacuation of seriously ill and wounded patients to Nablus city hospitals. At the 'Avarta' checkpoint, a pregnant woman lost her child due to a prolonged inspection of an ambulance. At least two women were forced to give birth in ambulances, and another in a clinic in the town of Akraba. The passage of 12 patients requiring urgent hemodialysis was blocked for several hours. To mitigate the consequences, 72 first-aid stations have been deployed. The International Committee of the Red Cross expressed concern, reminding of the protection of medical teams under the Geneva Convention.