Coalition of medical groups sign open letter on Gaza

A coalition of more than 40 health groups penned an open letter regarding the dire humanitarian and health situation for Palestinians in Gaza.

The groups accuse Israel of using healthcare as a weapon of war as it continues its assault on Gaza, killing tens of thousands of Palestinians and targeting civilian infrastructure including hospitals.

The letter outlines eight demands for health professional groups around the world. Here are the demands:

1. Health workers, activists, and patient groups should call out Israel’s war crimes and unequivocally condemn the genocide in Gaza.

2. Professional health associations must end their perceived complicity in genocide.

3. All health activist groups and HIV patient groups must boycott the company TEVA, an Israeli multinational pharmaceutical company.

4. All health activist groups and HIV patient groups must demand that the organisers of the 25th AIDS conference devote a plenary session to Gaza, including a moment of silence for the health workers killed in Gaza during the opening ceremony.

5. The 2024 World Health Assembly must devote a dedicated session to the current health crisis in Gaza.

6. Scientists, researchers, clinicians and patient advocacy groups must actively pause health research, scientific and data collaboration and research projects with Israeli health institutions.

7. Health workers, health activists, advocacy and patient groups must support colleagues who are being censored and targeted for speaking up about anti-Palestinian racism.

8. Health workers, including unions and health activist groups, must call for and pressure all governments to immediately resume and increase funding for the critical work of Unrwa.