Is There Really an Israeli Banner at RSI Gaza? MER-C Urges Government to Issue Protest Note

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA — The circulation of a photo of a Hebrew-language banner installed by the Israel Defense Forces in the complex of the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza has triggered widespread condemnation. The banner is known to have been erected on the north-eastern side of the hospital building, which has long served as a symbol of Indonesian solidarity with Palestine. Chairman of the Presidium of the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), Dr Hadiki Habib, confirmed the viral photo of the banner. In response to the virality of the photo, MER-C is urging the Indonesian government to immediately issue a strong protest note to Israel and demand the withdrawal of troops from the illegally occupied Gaza territory. Dr Habib, as he is affectionately known, emphasised that the Indonesian Hospital is a symbol of humanity that must be protected, rather than being made part of the conflict. “MER-C Indonesia urges the Indonesian government to issue a strong protest note regarding the provocative actions of the Israeli soldiers and to press Israel to withdraw from the illegally occupied Gaza territory,” he said, quoted from MER-C’s statement via its official Instagram account on Thursday (23/4/2026).