“We have one goal — to save lives and evacuate people. And to send a message to the world: Without weapons, we can do anything.”
My heart is heavy as I write this. The young woman who spoke the words above — Razan al-Najjar — was shot dead on Friday by Israeli snipers. She was 21 years old. A volunteer with our partner group, the Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS), Razan was rushing to provide medical care to an injured protester when she was shot in the chest.
For weeks, Palestinians in Gaza have protested along their border with Israel to call for an end to the years-long siege that has deprived them of basic necessities like water, electricity and medical care. The Israeli military has responded with brutal violence and sniper fire — killing over 119 people and injuring thousands.
Razan’s white vest emblazoned with the PMRS logo marked her, like other volunteer paramedics, as a medical aid worker. She assured her worried parents that it would protect her from being targeted. Her father carried her bloodied vest to her funeral.
We stand with our partners at PMRS today and with all those embracing non-violent protest to honor Razan and call for an end to the Israeli blockade of Gaza. We will continue to support urgent aid, including emergency medical kits for volunteer medics like Razan. These kits help our partners to provide immediate treatment for injuries and stabilization for emergency transport to clinics. And we’re supporting long-term care for the injured to heal.
Your support helps put crucial resources in the hands of medics like Razan. Please give today to help us sustain our partners and the vital medical care they offer, as this crisis continues. Click here to make a gift in Razan’s name.
With her death, we have all lost a vibrant young woman, who bravely stepped into danger to protect others. She defied those who might limit her when she became one of the few female medical volunteers, saying, “Being a medic is not only a job for a man. It’s for women, too.”
At times like these, I’m especially grateful for your enduring support and for the hope it represents. We stand together in memory of Razan and for peace and justice.
In solidarity,
Yifat Susskind
Executive Director
