For Immediate Release  

October 26, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT: [email protected]

#NotATarget: MedGlobal Condemns the Arrest of Mahmoud Lubbad, MedGlobal Staff and Nursing Director of Kamal Adwan Hospital

At 6 a.m. this morning, Mahmoud Lubbad, a MedGlobal staff member and the Nursing Director at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Gaza, was arrested, along with 30 other medical staff. MedGlobal is gravely concerned by his arrest, which underscores the extreme dangers healthcare workers face in Gaza. We call for Nurse Lubbad’s immediate release and demand urgent international protection for medical professionals who risk their lives daily to provide essential care.

“Our colleague Mahmoud is more than a healthcare leader; he is a lifeline. His arrest is not only a violation of humanitarian principles but a direct threat to essential medical care in Gaza,” said Joseph Belliveau, Executive Director of MedGlobal.  “MedGlobal stands unequivocally in support of Mahmoud, and we call upon the international community to ensure the protection of all healthcare workers, who should never be targets in any conflict.”

Kamal Adwan Hospital, where Nurse Mahmoud has diligently led critical care services, is enduring severe hardships. Healthcare professionals face critical shortages of water, food, and essential medical supplies, placing immense strain on staff and imperiling lives. Medical facilities have been continually besieged and struck in missile attacks, and this violent aggression continues today putting medics and patients at extreme risk.

MedGlobal calls on global leaders, humanitarian organizations, and the public to demand an immediate cessation of all attacks on healthcare workers and to uphold essential protections for medical personnel operating in conflict zones, affirming the fundamental principle that healthcare workers are #NotATarget and must be protected under international humanitarian law. We remain resolutely committed to supporting Mahmoud and all healthcare workers who risk their lives to deliver life saving care.

######### 

MedGlobal is a humanitarian aid nonprofit organization that provides emergency response and health programs to build resilience among vulnerable communities around the world.