As we witness an unfolding humanitarian crisis and unprecedented escalation, the undersigned humanitarian and health organisations call for an immediate ceasefire and aid access into the Gaza Strip as the health system faces total collapse, and the immediate release of civilian hostages. 

Israel’s current assault on Gaza resulted in more than 4,600 dead Palestinians, including over 1,800 children, and over 14,000 wounded to date. The October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel resulted in over 1,300 dead Israelis, about 4,000 wounded, over 200 hostages, and yet unknown numbers of women were raped and sexually assaulted. Hamas has since indiscriminately launched rockets at civilian targets across Israel.

In the past 11 days of its aerial assault on Gaza, Israel has killed and injured health workers while on duty, damaged 29 health care facilities, and demanded the evacuation of 17 hospitals  with their staff and patients. 

Among the most recent order for evacuation, accompanied by the threat of bombing, was given to Al Quds hospital, which has 5 operating theatres, as well as wards for neonatal care and is currently caring for 400 patients. PHRI has submitted a legal petition to prevent this violation of international humanitarian law and  in response, the Israeli authorities responded that no attack would take place for the time being.

The assault has caused an unprecedented crisis in Gaza’s health system, healthcare providers are working under extreme conditions with limited access to essential supplies and water, risking the lives of thousands of patients and injured. According to OCHA, by now, hospitals in Gaza are believed to have run out of fuel to operate backup generators, which puts thousands of patients’ lives at immediate risk. The human tragedy in the al-Ahli hospital in Gaza, while still under investigation, has exacerbated the dire humanitarian crisis as other Gaza hospitals are incapable of assisting the many wounded. 

Israel’s forcible displacement of over 1.1 million Palestinians from Northern Gaza will further aggravate the humanitarian crisis. Furthermore, requesting a civilian population to relocate without any protection, adequate supply, and guarantees to return to their homes is a breach of international humanitarian law.

We note that the current humanitarian crisis in Gaza should be considered in the context of a 16-year blockade with continuing detrimental consequences for health infrastructure.At this point, the opening of Rafah crossing, while critical, will have minimal impact, given the gravity of the humanitarian situation.

As humanitarian and health organisations who recognise the impact of the devastation first-hand, it is critical that the international community step in to ensure the full protection of the civilian population in Israel and Gaza and to urge for an immediate ceasefire. We also ask the international community to:

• Ensure the release of Israeli and foreign hostages held by Hamas.
• Ensure immediate and swift access to essential humanitarian supplies, including electricity, water, fuel, and medical supplies, including through the establishment of a humanitarian corridor by all stakeholders.
• Demand that as long as evacuation orders cannot be fulfilled safely, Israel refrain from issuing evacuation orders to hospitals. 
• Ensure protection for medical teams and health facilities.
• Immediately facilitate medical evacuations for injured and patients to Egypt, the West Bank, or Israel.
• Call on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian and human rights law.

Signatories:
Harvard Humanitarian Initiative
Insecurity Insight
International Child Health Group
Maternal and Childhealth Advocacy International
Medical Human Rights Network IFHHRO
MEDACT
Medici per i Diritti Umani – MEDU (Physicians for Human Rights Italy)
Medglobal
Physicians for Human Rights Israel
The International Society of Social Pediatrics and Child Health