Over 1,000 Doctors and Nurses Killed in Gaza by Israeli Forces

In a devastating 13-month offensive on the Gaza Strip, Israel has claimed the lives of over 1,000 doctors and nurses, contributing to a total death toll of at least 44,211, as reported by officials from the Hamas-led Palestinian territory on Sunday.

The Government Media Office in Gaza also disclosed via a statement that “more than 310 other medical staff members were captured, subjected to torture, and killed in detention facilities,” according to reports from Turkey’s state-controlled Anadolu Agency. The statement further highlighted that Israel obstructed the delivery of medical supplies and barred the entry of health delegations and numerous surgeons to the region.

“The Israeli military has openly targeted hospitals, launching attacks, laying sieges, and conducting raids, resulting in the deaths and injuries of multiple healthcare professionals,” the media office reported. This announcement followed shortly after the director of the main operating hospital in northern Gaza sustained injuries due to an Israeli attack.

Hussam Abu Safiyeh, director of the repeatedly targeted Kamal Adwan Hospital, was reported by Al Jazeera as saying the facility’s generators, fuel reserves, and primary oxygen supply were all damaged by Israeli forces. Despite these challenges, the director affirmed, “These people target everyone, but I swear, this will not deter us from continuing our humanitarian work. We will persist in providing this service, regardless of the cost.”

Since the escalation of hostilities following a Hamas-initiated attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, Israeli forces have not only caused the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinians but have also wounded at least 104,567 individuals. Furthermore, their actions have resulted in the destruction of numerous homes, educational institutions, and religious sites, displacing a majority of the 2.3 million residents of Gaza.

The Israeli government, which has received military support from both the Biden administration and bipartisan members of the U.S. Congress, is currently facing a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its actions in Gaza. Additionally, this week the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader Mohammed Diab Ibrahim Al-Masri.

Recently, 99 U.S. healthcare providers who volunteered in Gaza since the previous fall wrote to U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. In their letter, they detailed “the enormous human toll of Israel’s assault” and called for an immediate cessation of the hostilities. They estimated that the death toll might already surpass 118,908, representing an astonishing 5.4% of Gaza’s population. They noted, “With few exceptions, everyone in Gaza is either sick or injured, which includes all national aid workers, international volunteers, and likely every Israeli hostage.

“We have come to realize that our colleagues in Palestinian healthcare are among the most traumatized individuals, not just in Gaza but globally,” they continued. “It is evident that their roles have made them targets for Israeli forces, which contradicts the long-standing and widely acknowledged international humanitarian laws that protect hospitals and healthcare workers.”

The letter emphasized, “We want to be absolutely clear: At no point did we witness any militant activities by Palestinians within any of Gaza’s medical facilities. We urge you to recognize that Israel has systematically decimated Gaza’s entire healthcare infrastructure and has targeted our colleagues for torture, disappearance, and murder.”

Despite these urgent pleas, the outgoing Biden-Harris administration has refrained from halting arms sales to Israel. Moreover, most U.S. senators from both major parties recently voted against a set of resolutions proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that would have blocked some U.S. arms sales to Israel.