The video which was captured by the hospital’s security cameras show five men, relatives of a 19-year-old female patient at the hospital, drive up to the hospital’s entrance and proceed inside to beat the security guards, leaving all three in reasonably serious condition.
The reason behind this assault, according to a hospital representative, was an alleged attempt by the female patient to steal an emergency room nurse’s cell phone.
The relatives showed up to intervene and reportedly one man was armed with a pistol.
Currently, police are searching for the five assailants as they fled the scene after the incident, which took place at 3 a.m. The patient and her father were however, arrested at the scene.
The hospital’s medical director, Prof. Roni Gamzu demanded that the Public Security Ministry and police take legal action against the family members to the fullest extent of the law in order to send a firm message.
“I especially expect the judicial system to enforce a severe punishment that will eventually serve as deterrence against anyone who attacks doctors, nurses and health workers,” online newspaper The Jerusalem Post reported Gamzu as saying.
Israel’s Health Minister Ya’acov Litzman also condemned the attack on the hospital staff calling it a “dangerous phenomenon” that puts medical staff at risk.
