Photo: ActvieStills
Over 110 Jewish and Arab physicians and mental health workers published a joint letter calling for the immediate release of all hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli medical professionals called on Hamas to, at the very least, allow local medics to examine and treat the hostages.
The physicians also called on Israel to stop the killing of civilians in the Gaza Strip and the harming of humanitarian resources that serve the entire population. They further expressed concern over the imminent collapse of Gaza’s health system and local hospitals, which will last only a few more days without electricity and water.
“We call for the immediate opening of a humanitarian corridor to equip Gaza’s health system with crucial drugs and medical supplies and to allow for the treatment of the hostages,” the letter stated.
The joint call was initiated by Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, with whom the health professionals volunteer. PHRI recently forwarded Gazan officials a list of prescription medications required by the hostages, along with a request to make them available to them. In addition, PHRI cited the cases in which it appears hostages were gravely injured.
According to current estimates, some 160 individuals were taken captive by Hamas, many of whom are civilians – including people over the age of 80, women, children, and infants.
