More than a hundred health professionals, “shocked by the humanitarian catastrophe and attacks carried out by the State of Israel in the Gaza Strip today, which have already resulted in the death of more than 220 professional colleagues and more than 14 thousand civilians” sent an open letter demanding a position from various professional health orders, according to a statement. says
One of the subscribers, Luisa Russo, told LUSA that the letter came from a group of health professionals who were activists for the Palestine Liberation Organization and Men Before Borders, some of whom had already been to Palestine or Gaza.
“Our main objective is for professional health orders to take a stand regarding what is happening, because in this war in Gaza, we cannot be indifferent to the fact that health professionals and hospitals are being targeted”, Luisa Rousseau highlighted. .
According to this expert, a letter was sent today to doctors, nurses, psychologists, nutritionists, dentists, pharmacists and physiotherapists and to the respective authorities to “condemn this violence, which does not only affect the Palestinian people”. “Health professionals, other nationalities too”.
Another plea of the group was to condemn the systematic attacks on hospitals, health centers and ambulances, as well as to demand an unrestricted, immediate and firm ceasefire, “so that humanitarian aid can actually be in Gaza”.
Luisa Russo acknowledged that the letter would “put political pressure on the Ministry of Health to protect the rights of health professionals in Gaza” and that “war crimes committed in Gaza have been recognised.” For Hospitals and Healthcare Professionals”.
Another objective was to declare “solidarity and support for colleagues in Gaza.”
“Since many unions are mobilizing internationally to take a stand, we understand from the contact we have with people there that health professionals in Portugal can and should take a stand,” he explained. Still.
“To date, more than 14,000 people have been killed by the State of Israel, of which 5,600 (40%) are children,” health experts say in the report sent.
“To these victims, we must add more than six thousand more injured in the rubble of damaged buildings and more than 33 thousand. This means that every day, about 420 children are killed or injured. These have only a few months to live,” the letter added.
Health experts highlight that deliberate and systematic attacks on civilian infrastructure have already forced 1.7 million people into forced displacement. “Targets include refugee camps, schools, shelters, hospitals and ambulances,” the note said.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the letter says, the Israeli government has already attacked, at the time of writing, 164 medical infrastructures and more than 220 health professionals have been killed in Gaza. “70% of health centers and 26 out of 35 hospitals are currently out of service due to lack of infrastructure, insecurity, fuel, electricity, water, food and medicine.”
“Health professionals work in terrible conditions,” they said, adding that “deliberately attacking hospitals is a war crime fully classified under international law.”