A group of 99 American doctors and medical professionals who volunteered in besieged Gaza has urged President Biden to recognize that Israel has “systematically and deliberately” devastated the region’s health care system since October of last year. They stated they found no evidence of Hamas activity in Gaza’s hospitals and called for an immediate halt to US military, economic, and diplomatic support for Israel.
In a letter sent to President Biden and Vice President Harris, the doctors, who collectively spent 254 weeks volunteering in Gaza’s healthcare facilities, described the dire humanitarian conditions they witnessed during Israel’s ongoing military actions. They emphasized that they saw “crimes beyond comprehension” and explicitly noted, “not once did any of us see any type of Palestinian militant activity in any of Gaza’s hospitals or other health care facilities.”
The letter highlights the suffering of women and children in hospitals, including widespread malnutrition and a severe lack of essential medical supplies. They referenced a July study published in The Lancet suggesting that the cumulative effects of Israel’s actions could lead to a death toll exceeding 186,000 people.
Asma Taha, a pediatric nurse practitioner, recounted heartbreaking scenes, stating, “Every day, I saw babies die. They had been born healthy. Their mothers were so malnourished that they could not breastfeed, and we lacked formula or clean water to feed them, so they starved.” Dr. Mark Perlmutter, an orthopedic and hand surgeon, reflected on his experiences, saying, “Gaza was the first time I held a baby’s brains in my hand. The first of many.”
