Approximately 100 Israeli doctors have sparked controversy by signing an open letter urging the Israeli military to annihilate or bomb hospitals in Gaza, labeling them as "terrorist infrastructure used by Hamas" as reported by Israeli media.
The letter, composed in Hebrew, claims that Hamas is utilizing hospitals as their primary bases of operation. It also states "The residents of Gaza who agreed to transform the hospital into a terrorist den and benefit from Western morals are those who caused their own annihilation, the liquidation of terrorism everywhere and in every way.", seemingly greenlighting collective punishment of Gazans, which is in clear violation of Common Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention and Article 6 of the Additional Protocol II or in other words; a war crime.
Credit: Motaz Azaia
The 100 Israeli doctors who signed the letter seem to have collectively agreed that attacking these perceived terrorist hubs is not only the "right course of action" but also a "duty of the Israeli army."
Furthermore, the letter claims that the army has a binding obligation to target and dismantle hospitals allegedly used for sheltering Hamas, even describing the situation as worse than dealing with ISIS.
Understandably, this letter has received worldwide condemnation. In response to this letter, a team of doctors in Gaza has released this video below:
Doctors of Gaza giving their formal response to Israeli medical professionals signing a letter urging Israel to bomb Palestinian hospitals in Gaza, translated to English: pic.twitter.com/8b0i4OTbar
— Mahmoud Al-Qudsi (@mqudsi) November 6, 2023
Dr. Marwan Shafiq Al Hams, serving as the director of Muhammad Yusuf Al-Najjar Hospital and speaking on behalf of the medical community in Gaza, has strongly condemned the actions of the Israeli doctors. He describes their conduct as a betrayal of the esteemed medical profession and a breach of the trust placed in medical practitioners.
Doctors in Gaza are now calling on individuals and organizations with connections to the World Health Organization and various human rights groups to take action and hold those advocating for the destruction of hospitals accountable for their actions.
In addition to this, these medical professionals demand that all licenses pertaining to the signatories' medical practice be revoked.
