Violence against health professionals in conflict areas is unacceptable

[The following statement was issued by IPPNW’s International Council on 5 October, at the conclusion of the 24th World Congress in Nagasaki.]

IPPNW expresses its grave concern at the extreme suffering caused by the large-scale destruction of healthcare and other essential civilian services that is currently occurring in both Gaza and Sudan.

The Palestinian people in Gaza are facing a human-made catastrophe of hunger, deprivation, repeated forced displacement, comprehensive disruption of essential services, severe health risks and extreme violence at the hands of the Israeli Defence Forces and Israeli government.  The rate of attacks on healthcare in Gaza, killing of UN personnel and journalists have been higher than in any other recent conflict globally.

Relentless bombardments, the targeted killing of health and humanitarian workers, mass civilian killings and collective punishment, a blockade on food and other critically needed services and supplies, and the deliberate destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and essential infrastructure have pushed Gaza to the brink of annihilation. The situation is one of genocide.   

Health professionals have a collective obligation to speak out for the protection of healthcare facilities and professional colleagues, and the conditions enabling health, wherever they are under attack. The attempts in many countries to silence and intimidate healthcare workers who are speaking out for the protection of health and healthcare in Gaza are absolutely unacceptable, and those responsible must be held accountable for their actions. 

IPPNW condemns also the widespread attacks on healthcare and other essential civilian needs that are being perpetrated in Sudan by armed forces including the Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese Armed Forces.  Ongoing violence, mass displacements, collapsing health systems and poor conditions inside refugee camps are devastating millions of lives.

All military and intelligence support, including weapons transfers, that are assisting these human-made catastrophes to continue must cease, and there must be accountability for all crimes committed, including genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity.