We publish the press release of our colleagues from Physicians for Human Rights Israel following the Hamas attack in southern Israel**

It’s time to sound the alarms and raise the red flags. amid unspeakable tragedy, we may be facing an additional disaster – on a scale we haven’t seen in decades.

Israeli Defense Minister, Yoav Galant, ordered a complete siege of the  Gaza Strip on Monday: “No electricity, no food, no water, no gas.” Cutting a besieged population from vital electricity and water is a death sentence for civilians and a blatant violation of international  law. The intentional starvation of civilians constitutes a war crime, and under these conditions, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza could result in severe harm to human life.

Israel’s assault has already cost the lives of many innocent people, including children, men, and women. as of this morning, the death toll in Gaza has exceeded 950 people – including, at least,  260 children and 230 women. 22 entire families have been wiped out. 5000 people sustained various injuries, 10 percent of whom are children. Over 263,934 people have been displaced. Israel is pounding densely populated neighborhoods, universities, markets, and mosques with airstrikes. Extensive damage has been caused to medical infrastructure, including the direct bombing of the Indonesia hospital in north Gaza and the harming of eight medical centers and fifteen ambulances. Six medical professionals were killed, and fifteen others were injured.

 Even at this extreme point in time, we must remember that this increasingly devastating onslaught is by no means unprecedented – it has been an inherent aspect of Israeli policy for years, under various governments, and utilized against the Palestinian people it has been  oppressing for the last 75 years. The Israeli public is suffering, and the pain for the victims of  Hamas’ crimes in southern Israel touches nearly every home. It is,  therefore, difficult to witness how this severe agony is currently being used to justify the indiscriminate bombardment of residential  neighborhoods and the complete disregard of international conventions.  Last Saturday’s onslaught by Hamas must not be used to  indiscriminately attack the two million residents of Gaza. Revenge is  not a political plan of action and will not yield any solution. Efforts  must now be concentrated on negotiating a deal for the peaceful release  of the abducted.

 Even at this extreme point in time, we must remember that this increasingly devastating onslaught is by no means unprecedented – it has been an inherent aspect of Israeli policy for years, under various governments, and utilized against the Palestinian people it has been  oppressing for the last 75 years. The Israeli public is suffering, and the pain for the victims of  Hamas’ crimes in southern Israel touches nearly every home. It is,  therefore, difficult to witness how this severe agony is currently being used to justify the indiscriminate bombardment of residential  neighborhoods and the complete disregard of international conventions.  Last Saturday’s onslaught by Hamas must not be used to  indiscriminately attack the two million residents of Gaza. Revenge is  not a political plan of action and will not yield any solution. Efforts  must now be concentrated on negotiating a deal for the peaceful release  of the abducted.

Even at this moment of pain and fear, we must maintain our humanity and adhere to the values of human rights. Israelis and people around the world must make their voices clear and call for an immediate end to this unrestrained assault on Gaza. We must decisively oppose harming innocent civilians on both sides and demand the immediate release of all those abducted.