Humanity at Stake: Health Workers Barred From Gaza by Israel Plead for Help

As Israel continued its bombardment of the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza this past Saturday, killing scores, health professionals both within and outside the besieged area are desperately urging global leaders to halt the relentless assaults and address the humanitarian catastrophe. Witnesses on the ground report that the situation is beyond words.

Doctors and medical personnel at al Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis and other locations across Gaza held protests and press conferences on Saturday to spotlight the ongoing bombardments in the north, including a recent attack on Jabalia which resulted in the deaths of between 33 to over 50 individuals—comprising men, women, and children.

“The world is watching, and history will judge us by how we address this profound injustice. I urge each of you to join in this battle to protect our common humanity.” —Dr. Khaled Saleh, FAJR Scientific

Al-Jazeera has reported that hospitals, consistently targeted by Israeli forces over the past year, were hit again in these latest strikes:

Three hospitals in northern Gaza, already only partially operational due to severe damage, have been shut down after intense bombardment by Israeli forces, a health official in Gaza told Al Jazeera. The ongoing siege on Jabalia has entered its third week, with at least 33 more casualties reported in the northern region.

Early Saturday, Israeli forces bombed al-Awda Hospital in Jabalia, and shelling of Kamal Adwan and the Indonesian hospitals in Beit Lahiya has been reported by Al Jazeera correspondents in the last few hours.

Just days ago, Israel prohibited at least six medical NGOs from continuing their critical work in Gaza. According to the Washington Post:

Two of these organizations, Glia and the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA), were informed by the WHO earlier this week about the restrictions. Both have been active in Gaza long before the current conflict.

“The WHO is alarmed by the repercussions of these restrictions on Gaza’s already overwhelmed healthcare system,” the agency stated on Thursday. It highlighted that international emergency medical teams (EMTs) deployed in Gaza are vital for maintaining the system’s functionality, with only 17 of the enclave’s 36 hospitals still operational and “healthcare demands greatly surpassing the available capacity.”

Dr. Khaled Saleh, leader of FAJR Scientific, which offers surgical and trauma expertise in conflict zones and was also informed by the WHO of the ban, expressed profound sorrow and concern for the state of our global community, questioning our collective humanity and ethics.

Prevented from delivering essential aid, Saleh is calling on people worldwide to demand an end to the Israeli blockade of crucial medical assistance and those trying to provide it.

“This represents a devastating blow to humanity, marking a level of destruction unseen since World War II, and yet our global leaders remain passive,” he stated.

“As a member of the international community,” Saleh continued, “I implore all who value compassion, ethics, and the sanctity of life to stand with us and amplify your voices against this inhumane decision. Together, we must advocate for the silenced and demand the restoration of the fundamental right to medical care.”

The ban on these medical NGOs follows reports from healthcare professionals who have witnessed first-hand the dire conditions in Gaza, detailing unspeakable horrors in an effort to awaken the global community to what experts are calling an ongoing genocide by Israeli forces.

Earlier this week, the UN humanitarian office, OCHA, stated that Israel’s continual obstruction of food and medical supplies to Jabalia and other northern areas is having fatal consequences for the residents.

OCHA spokesperson Farhan Haq urged Israeli authorities to “allow safe, continuous and unobstructed access to Jabalia and all northern regions where people desperately need help.”

In a statement on Friday, Oxfam International lamented the deaths of Dr. Ahmad Al-Najar and midwife Laila Jneid, both of whom were affiliated with Juzoor and “killed by Israeli airstrikes on Jabalia,” according to the organization. “They were providing essential healthcare in Gaza. Targeting aid workers constitutes a war crime.” Oxfam reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire and emphasized that healthcare workers should never be targets.

In a report on Friday, Dr. Taghreed Al-Imawi, a Juzoor staff member and OBGYN at Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, described the appalling conditions on the ground.

“The situation is horrendous and utterly indescribable,” Al-Imawi stated. “There are dead bodies, severed limbs, and injured people everywhere. We are receiving emergency calls from all over the north. Ambulances are unable to reach the injured. Since last week alone, we have treated over 23 pregnant women, injured by shrapnel or gunfire, some in critical condition. Kamal Adwan Hospital and other semi-functional hospitals have received evacuation orders, but evacuation is simply not feasible.”

“The pediatrics section is closed as it is overcrowded with injured people,” Al-Imawi added, “the surgery section is overwhelmed, even the reception area. The hospital has been repeatedly shelled and targeted by snipers, making people terrified to seek medical care.”

Having just returned from a mission in Gaza, pediatric nurse Becky Platt, representing Save the Children—who shared her experiences on Saturday—described the on-ground situation as unlike anything she had previously encountered.

Platt remarked on the dire healthcare needs and the overwhelming humanitarian crisis, noting the absolute devastation of homes and landscapes and the extreme level of human suffering and need as incomprehensible.

“No child should have to endure such pain,” she said. “It feels as though your hands are tied when you cannot provide the care that would be readily available back home or in other contexts. It’s a stark and unfair reality that children with severe injuries lack access to proper pain management.”

Dr. Saleh of FAJR Scientific emphasized that it is crucial for everyone globally to make their voices heard.

“The world is watching,” he stated, “and history will judge us by how we respond to this severe injustice. I urge each and every one of you to join this fight to preserve our shared humanity.”