Israeli and International Doctors Call on the
World Health Organization to Ensure the Health and Well-being of Hostages in Gaza
World Health Organization to Ensure the Health and Well-being of Hostages in Gaza
For more than seven months, men, women, and children, ranging from 15 months to 86 years old, who were brutally kidnapped from their homes by Hamas terrorists, have been subjected to cruelty and inhumane conditions in Gaza.
We, Israeli and international physicians, implore the World Health Organization to take immediate action. Hostage-taking is forbidden by International Humanitarian Law (IHL). We demand the enforcement of IHL and International Human Rights Law, and the immediate release of all hostages without conditions. We demand the impartial provision of urgent healthcare support to the hostages in Gaza, ensuring unimpeded access to essential medical care, medications, and treatments for all hostages irrespective of their classification. We insist on transferring critically ill hostages to suitable medical facilities for appropriate specialized treatment.
We beseech the World Health Organization to issue a public statement calling on Hamas to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit the hostages as required by IHL. We call for a strong condemnation of Hamas, reminding them that according to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), hostages must be treated humanely, and they have the right to communicate with their families. Holding hostages, preventing ICRC visits, denying medical treatment, subjecting them to physical and psychological abuse, and intentionally withholding information about the hostages are grave violations of international law.
We, Israeli and international physicians, implore the World Health Organization to take immediate action. Hostage-taking is forbidden by International Humanitarian Law (IHL). We demand the enforcement of IHL and International Human Rights Law, and the immediate release of all hostages without conditions. We demand the impartial provision of urgent healthcare support to the hostages in Gaza, ensuring unimpeded access to essential medical care, medications, and treatments for all hostages irrespective of their classification. We insist on transferring critically ill hostages to suitable medical facilities for appropriate specialized treatment.
We beseech the World Health Organization to issue a public statement calling on Hamas to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to visit the hostages as required by IHL. We call for a strong condemnation of Hamas, reminding them that according to International Humanitarian Law (IHL), hostages must be treated humanely, and they have the right to communicate with their families. Holding hostages, preventing ICRC visits, denying medical treatment, subjecting them to physical and psychological abuse, and intentionally withholding information about the hostages are grave violations of international law.