This plea came during a press conference held at Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem, as the ongoing Israeli offensive has rendered most hospitals in Gaza nonfunctional, plunging the region into a catastrophic medical crisis.
The doctors estimate that 25,000 people are in dire need of life-saving medical care, with conditions that cannot be adequately treated in the besieged Gaza Strip. Among the most vulnerable are children, many of whom are deprived of essential cancer treatments that were scarce even before the aggression began. Pediatric oncologist Khadra Salama described the unimaginable suffering of these young patients, emphasizing the urgency of action.
In their appeal, the doctors outlined three critical steps to address the crisis. First, they stressed the need for safe evacuation corridors to transfer patients to hospitals in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, or to other countries capable of providing the necessary care. Second, they called for the preservation of family unity during medical treatment, ensuring that patients do not endure the trauma of separation from their loved ones. Lastly, they advocated for the right of evacuees to return to their homes in Gaza after receiving care, asserting that no one should have to choose between their health and their homeland.
Rick Peeperkorn, the World Health Organization’s representative, highlighted the pressing need for humanitarian access to Gaza. He underscored the urgency of delivering medical supplies, facilitating patient evacuations, and allowing humanitarian teams to provide life-saving care on the ground.
Fadi Al-Atrash, CEO of Augusta Victoria Hospital, spoke with deep frustration and sorrow about the plight of Gaza’s people. He described the situation as catastrophic and stressed that the most effective solution lies in allowing patients to be transferred to hospitals in the West Bank. “We feel helpless, not because we lack the ability, but because we are prevented from helping our people,” he said, urging the international community to intervene and allow medical professionals to save lives.
As the conflict continues to devastate Gaza, this call for intervention serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of the violence. The doctors’ appeal is not just a plea for medical relief but a demand for dignity, humanity, and the basic rights of the wounded and sick in Gaza. (ILKHA)