US medics in Gaza report unofficial death toll may exceed 90,000
A group of 45 American physicians and nurses who volunteered in Gaza have released a letter to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, alleging that the death toll from Israel's ongoing genocidal aggression in the Gaza Strip may exceed 90,000.
The letter, delivered on Thursday, outlines the dire humanitarian crisis and calls for immediate action from the U.S. government.
In the eight-page letter, the medics assert that "Israel" has claimed the lives of over 90,000 Palestinians, significantly higher than the figure reported by the Palestinian Health Ministry, which currently stands at over 39,000. The letter suggests that the real death toll is at least 4.2% of Gaza's population.
The volunteers, who have witnessed the situation firsthand, highlight what they describe as war crimes and violations of international humanitarian law by the Israeli forces. They accuse Israeli snipers of deliberately targeting civilians, with a significant portion of the casualties being women and children.
"President Biden and Vice-President Harris, any solution to this problem must begin with an immediate and permanent ceasefire," the letter states. It calls for the United States to impose an arms embargo on Israel and withdraw its diplomatic, economic, and military support until a ceasefire is achieved.
The letter also notes the severe impact on Gaza’s population, stating: "With only marginal exceptions, everyone in Gaza is sick, injured, or both." The medics describe the situation as one of "unbearable cruelty" and express deep concern over the humanitarian conditions they have observed.
The appeal from the U.S. medics underscores the escalating crisis in Gaza and the international community's ongoing debate over the appropriate response to the genocide. (ILKHA)