Nablus, March 29, 2004, (WAFA)- Health Care Services Committees (HCSC), in Nablus, said Monday that the Israeli Occupation Forces have escalated aggressions against the Palestinian paramedics.... In an exclusive statement, head of the HCSC in the northern part of the West Bank, Dr. Nihad al-Akhras, told WAFA that the Israeli soldiers target the Palestinian ambulances and medical teams throw direct attacks.... Recently, the Israeli soldiers, stationed at Hawwara checkpoint, south of Nablus, blew up a bomb close to an ambulance and damaged it, Dr. al-Akhras said.... According to al-Akhras, the armed settlers also participated in attacking the Palestinian paramedics.... "A group of armed settlers assaulted the ambulance driver who was carrying a wounded Palestinian citizen," al-Akhras said, "the settlers tried to kill the wounded but the brave medical team prevented them and could manage to escape."..
According to the Palestine National Information Centre, 29 Palestinian members of medical teams and civil defense were killed by IOF since the outbreak of the al-Aqsa Intifada on September 28, 2000.