Gaza Community Mental Health Programme condemns the kidnapping of the International American School Principal in Gaza

This morning a group of armed Palestinians kidnapped the principal of the American School in Gaza, Mr. Henrik Taatgen and the vice-president, Mr. Brian Ambrosio, while on their way to the school in the northern part of Gaza city. The armed group took them to an undefined place.

This event comes amidst a state of chaos, insecurity, lawlessness, and repeated attacks on public property that is taking place in the Gaza Strip under different excuses.

The kidnapping event is just an additional indicator of the serious deterioration of the security situation Gaza. We are concerned that this situation will lead to the complete evacuation of all international staff working in UN agencies, diplomatic missions, and humanitarian organizations in Gaza. All this would result in more political and security slump and human suffering for people.

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme views all such incidents of kidnapping as a dangerous decline that will impact the internal political and security stability and the sate of supremacy of law in the Palestinian society. We emphasize that such acts of kidnapping distort the Palestinian people's image and their just cause.

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme strongly condemns such irresponsible acts and demands for the immediate and unconditional release of the kidnapped persons. Further, we call on the PNA to take immediate and effective action to tackle the deterioration of the security situation in the Gaza Strip and reinstitute respect for the rule of law. We also call upon the Palestinian National Authority to take its responsibility in the release of the kidnapped and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice.

Gaza Community Mental Health Programme