On Oct. 18 the World Health Organization (WHO) sent a text message to six medical NGOs to notify them that the Israeli military will no longer allow them to enter Gaza, according to the International Center for Justice in Palestine (ICJP). This is a death sentence for thousands of patients in Gaza. The WHO issued a statement in reply: “WHO calls for urgent and sustained facilitation of entry for [Emergency Medical Teams] into Gaza and access for humanitarian aid across the Strip,” according to the Washington Post. The six NGOs have worked as partners with the WHO and have sent hundreds of health workers into Gaza treating over 15,000 patients over the last year of fighting. The medical staff who have gone into Gaza have included specialists in trauma surgery, pediatric medicine, and neurosurgery. These NGOs have also coordinated the delivery of medical supplies, and operated field hospitals and clinics across Gaza.
Because Israel no longer allows international press into Gaza, these doctors and nurses also serve as the only international observers to the genocide. Many returning medical workers have adopted this role of witnesses and have been raising their voices. Below are links to several of these statements and testimonials from these medical professionals:
The New York Times, Oct. 9, 2024, 65 Doctors, Nurses and Paramedics: What We Saw in Gaza
Gaza Healthcare Letters: 99 U.S. Medical Professionals, Oct. 2, 2024, Open Letter from American Medical Professionals Who Served in Gaza
International Center for Justice in Palestine: 30 U.K. Medical Professionals, Aug. 22, 2024, 30 U.K.-based medical professionals send open letter to Prime Minister demanding a ban on arms sales to Israel
Gaza Healthcare Letters: 19 Canadian Healthcare Workers, Aug. 7, 2024, Canadian health care workers’ experiences in the Gaza Strip after November 2023
Gaza Healthcare Letters: 45 U.S. Healthcare Professionals, July 25, 2024, American physicians’ and nurses’ observations from the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023
