Jakarta. Indonesia has lost contact with three of its citizens who were volunteering at the Indonesian hospital in the northern Gaza Strip following Israel’s attack on the medical center.

Israeli forces shelled the Indonesian hospital on Monday, killing at least a dozen people. The attack immediately outraged Indonesia, while also sparking worries after the Southeast Asian country could not get a hold of its citizens.

“We have lost communications with the 3 Indonesians who are volunteering at the Indonesian hospital,” Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in a press statement recorded from Beijing on Monday.

Indonesia has tried to reach the UNRWA to make sure its citizens were alright, but to no avail. UNRWA, the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, is struggling to communicate with its contacts at the hospital. Retno said she could not even get an answer from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

All three volunteers are part of the humanitarian organization Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C). According to Retno, the government will keep in touch with MER-C.

“I will also keep in contact with various stakeholders to stay updated on the Indonesian hospital and the three Indonesians’ safety,” Retno said.

The Israeli forces’ artillery fire on the Indonesian Hospital on Monday killed at least 12 Palestinians. The war-torn enclave’s Health Ministry said that the situation was catastrophic at the hospital, where hundreds of people remained trapped. Israeli tanks are now surrounding the medical center, according to Al-Jazeera. 

Turkish news agency Anadolu Agency reported Monday that Gaza’s Health Ministry accused Israel of wanting to turn the Indonesian Hospital into a “mass grave”.

Almost two weeks ago, areas surrounding the Indonesian hospital were bombarded by the Israeli military. However, all three Indonesian volunteers were safe as they were in the basement when the bombardment occurred. The Israeli military not long ago accused the Indonesian hospital of sitting atop a network of militant Hamas tunnels. Indonesia immediately denied those claims.

Add as a preferred source on Google +