How U.S. Health Institutions Ignored Gaza's Humanitarian Crisis

The Gaza Strip is enduring a catastrophic humanitarian and health crisis, marked by widespread displacement and severe shortages of water, fuel, and food. According to the United Nations, 1.8 million residents are facing extreme hunger. Despite extensive documentation of the genocide and its acknowledgment by international humanitarian organizations, many U.S. medical associations, scientific journals, and healthcare advocacy groups have largely ignored the crisis. This response contrasts sharply with their proactive stance during the Russia-Ukraine war, highlighting a glaring double standard.

Dire Humanitarian Catastrophe in Gaza: Crisis Deepens

According to the Ministry of Health in Gaza, the Israeli war has claimed more than 44,000 lives since October 2023, the majority being women and children, along with nearly 1,000 healthcare workers. Key hospitals, most notably Al-Shifa Hospital, have also been destroyed.

Amnesty International has described these actions as 'deliberate genocide,' citing the blockade of food, fuel, and medical supplies, as well as the targeting of children by snipers. The World Health Organization has called the healthcare situation in Gaza a 'comprehensive humanitarian disaster,' with shortages of clean water, electricity, and medicines making it nearly impossible to provide necessary medical care.

Children, who make up half of Gaza's population, are among the most affected by the ongoing Israeli aggression. The Gaza Strip has the highest number of child amputees in the world, with most unable to access treatment or prosthetics.

Reports indicate that the bombing of hospitals and the blockade on medical supplies have created conditions where providing healthcare is nearly impossible. Patients with complex injuries are left to face death, while those with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease, experience worsening conditions due to the lack of medication.

American Medical Association’s Double Standards on Gaza and Ukraine

In 2022, the American Medical Association (AMA) showed strong support for Ukraine through financial aid, political advocacy, and public condemnations. However, this stance was noticeably absent in the case of Palestine. Despite documented attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers in Gaza by organizations such as the World Health Organization and the U.N. Human Rights Council, the AMA has issued no condemnation.

Similarly, protests at the AMA's meeting in Chicago, organized by a coalition of doctors, nurses, and students, highlighted these double standards, drawing attention to the disparity in the association's responses.

On June 8, 2024, protesters raised their voices, urging the AMA to acknowledge and condemn the genocide being committed against Palestinians. They expressed deep disappointment in what they called the AMA's negligent and inhumane stance.

In addition to these demands, the AMA faced harsh criticism for its failure to address the suffering of millions of Palestinians in Gaza. Speakers at the protest pointed out the stark contradiction between the AMA's generous support for Ukraine and its deafening silence on Gaza's crisis.

The protesters did not demand financial aid for Gaza; instead, they focused on urging the AMA to condemn the genocide and acknowledge Palestinians' right to a dignified life.

In a similar context, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation remained silent on Israel's war crimes in Gaza. This silence stands in sharp contrast to the foundation's swift condemnation of the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023.

New England Journal of Medicine’s Silence on Gaza Health Crisis

The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), one of the world’s most influential medical journals, has remained conspicuously silent on the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza. Despite the severe deterioration of health conditions caused by bombings, the destruction of medical facilities, and the blockade of humanitarian aid, the journal has not published any studies or articles on these violations. This stands in stark contrast to its extensive coverage of other crises, such as the war in Ukraine and the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

Misbar noted that NEJM has not published a single report on the impacts of the Israeli occupation or the blockade on Palestinians since 1986, despite compelling evidence documenting the ongoing deterioration of health conditions in Gaza and the West Bank due to the Israeli occupation.

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