Medical Referrals Committee — Gaza Ministry of Health:
▪ Medical referrals are completely free of charge, and no fees are collected for referral procedures, expediting them, or any related service.
▪ The priority and speed of completing the referral are determined according to the health condition and the degree of medical need, based on the recommendation of the attending physician.
▪ Companion: One first-degree companion is allowed, and any exceptions are subject to submitting an appeal according to the approved procedures.
▪ We caution that what is being circulated on social media about paying sums of money to speed up referrals or add companions is false, and comes as part of attempts to defraud and exploit patients and their families.
▪ We call on patients and their families not to deal with anyone who requests sums of money or claims to be able to speed up referral procedures, and to rely on the approved official channels.
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Popular Committees for Refugees in Palestine:
▪ We consider the statements issued by the Peace Council regarding the future of the UNRWA agency to be a highly dangerous development, and a clear adoption of the Israeli position that has for years sought to undermine the agency and end its existence and role, especially in the Gaza Strip. ▪ These positions are gravely in line with the ongoing Israeli allegations and campaign against UNRWA, and pave the way for turning it from a UN institution with an international mandate into an entity whose existence and work are subjected to political and security conditions. ▪ Targeting UNRWA does not mean targeting a relief institution only; rather, it affects one of the most prominent titles associated with the Palestinian refugee issue, and attempts to marginalize or replace it constitute an infringement on the standing of this issue and the rights of refugees. ▪ The Peace Council’s statements move the council from its supposed role in consolidating peace and implementing the agreed arrangements, to a direct party in one of the most sensitive files of the conflict, through intervening in the future of a UN agency established under a mandate from the UN General Assembly. ▪ We see in this position an American political cover, under the presidency of President Donald Trump of the council, to continue Israeli pressure on UNRWA and its institutions and employees; which may put the safety of those working in it and the continuation of its services to millions of refugees at risk. ▪ The Peace Council does not have the authority to cancel or redefine UNRWA’s mandate; the agency derives its mandate from the UN General Assembly, and any attempt to impose alternatives to it or end its role constitutes a تجاوز on its UN reference and the powers granted to the council. ▪ We call on the United Nations and member states to take a clear موقف that protects UNRWA, its staff and its capabilities, and rejects turning humanitarian aid and the rights of Palestinian refugees into tools subject to political and security conditions.
Palestinian Journalists Forum:
▪On the World Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Journalist, which falls on September 26, we salute the resilience of Palestinian journalists and their determination to carry out their professional and humanitarian mission in conveying the truth, despite the dangers and grave violations they face. ▪This year, the occasion comes amid a dangerous reality facing the Palestinian press community, as journalistic work in Palestine has become a mission fraught with death, injury, arrest, displacement, and the destruction of institutions and equipment, in an ongoing effort to obscure the image, erase the truth, and silence the voices that convey what is happening to the world. ▪We affirm that the Palestinian journalist is a civilian citizen practicing his profession and enjoys the protection guaranteed by international humanitarian law and international human rights law, and that targeting journalists, threatening them, arbitrarily arresting them, or obstructing their work constitutes an attack on press freedom and the public's right to know. ▪The continued impunity for violations committed against Palestinian journalists constitutes a serious undermining of the global system for protecting the press, and sends a message that the life and freedom of the Palestinian journalist are of less value than others. ▪On this occasion, we call on the international community, the United Nations, and international institutions and bodies concerned with press freedom and human rights to: ▪1) Provide effective international protection for Palestinian journalists and ensure their ability to carry out their work without threat or targeting. ▪2) Open independent and transparent international investigations into the crimes committed against journalists and hold those responsible accountable. ▪3) Ensure that perpetrators of crimes targeting journalists do not escape punishment and refer the relevant files to the competent international justice bodies. ▪4) Release journalists who are arbitrarily detained and ensure respect for their legal and humanitarian rights. ▪5) Allow media outlets and international journalists access to the Gaza Strip and enable them to work freely and independently. ▪6) Activate international resolutions related to the protection of journalists in armed conflicts, and not be content with statements and condemnations without practical measures. ▪On this anniversary, the Forum remembers the journalists who lost their lives while carrying out their professional duty, and salutes the injured, the detained, the displaced, and everyone who continues to carry the camera, pen, and microphone in the most difficult circumstances. ▪We affirm that truth is not killed by assassinating its bearer, image is not erased by targeting its photographer, and the word is not silenced by arrest. Solidarity with the Palestinian journalist should not be merely a symbolic position on an annual occasion, but an ongoing international responsibility that begins with protection and ends with justice and accountability.
Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas:
▪We appreciate the role of Palestinian journalists, and call for solidarity with them, condemnation of the occupation's crimes against them, and work to protect them and hold their perpetrators accountable. ▪Our Palestinian people, our Arab and Islamic nation, and free people around the world mark today the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian Journalist, which was adopted by the International Federation of Journalists on 26 September 1996; in appreciation of the role of Palestinian media and its message, and in recognition of the sacrifices of journalists who conveyed the truth with professionalism and credibility, despite the dangers they faced. ▪The observance of this occasion comes amid the occupation's continued targeting of journalists, media workers, and their institutions in Palestine. Since 7 October 2023, more than 262 journalists and media workers have been killed, and more than 400 others have been injured, while the occupation government continues to prevent foreign press from entering the Gaza Strip, in an attempt to obscure the truth of the genocide committed against our people. ▪We pray for the souls of the truth martyrs, and ask God for healing for the wounded and injured, and freedom for the prisoners and detainees. We also salute journalists, media workers, and their institutions, and appreciate their performance of their message despite the dangers and threats, and we affirm the following: ▪The killing, arresting, and expelling of journalists, and the destruction and closure of media institutions, are war crimes and crimes against humanity that do not lapse with time. We call on the International Federation of Journalists, the Arab Journalists Union, and press institutions around the world to condemn them, and to work to protect journalists and hold their perpetrators accountable. ▪The pursuit of Palestinian media institutions and attempts to block their content on social media platforms reveal the impact of the Palestinian narrative in conveying the truth and exposing the occupation's crimes. We hold the companies complicit in these policies responsible for contributing to disinformation and covering up crimes. ▪We call on Arab, Islamic, and international media institutions to strengthen their solidarity with Palestinian journalists, unify efforts to convey our people's suffering and expose the occupation's crimes, and warn against its schemes that threaten the region and the stability of the world. ▪The occupation's continued commission of crimes and dissemination of lies requires press and media institutions to shoulder their responsibilities, intensify coverage and solidarity, show the truth, and stand for the entrenched national rights of our people.