Gaza paramedics say their work has come under increasingly difficult conditions

 Al Jazeera Blogs

November 21, 2012 - 18:45

Gaza paramedics say their work has come under increasingly difficult conditions as Israel's air strikes shake the coastal enclave for consecutive days.
Adel al Azbat receives a call from a panicked resident and communicates their needs to his colleagues as quickly as possible.
"Usually the crowd that is near the site call the ambulance on 101, after the strike. After we get their calls we point out the place and we communicate through walkie-talkies with the ambulance (driver) to direct them to the place," he said, adding that being calm and collected is part of the job.
The Palestinian Red Crescent is the main emergency response service in Gaza, with hundreds of ambulances dotted throughout the Strip.
"We go out of our homes relying on God but we also have the fear of not going back home. Still, we come to work and stand strong in any event," said ambulance driver Yaser Imteer.
Paramedics are often the first to arrive on the scene and the danger of a second strike at the same location looms.
"We get the call and drive to the site. We try to reach the place and evacuate the injured. Unfortunately they (Israelis) hit us again (while we are evacuating)," said Nahid al Shawaa, another paramedic who is often seen in television footage as the dead and injured are brought to hospital.