Leading doctors who have been in contact with healthcare workers in Gaza over the past two years stated that Israel’s killing and targeting of healthcare workers is a systematic and deliberate policy, part of its ongoing genocidal war against the Palestinian people.
These doctors participated in “Israeli Apartheid Week” in South Africa, which began at the end of March. This annual event, observed by South Africans for the past 15 years, saw the organization of extensive awareness programs in universities, schools, community centers, and private institutions, as part of a continuous effort to raise awareness about the Palestinian cause.
As part of its activities this year, the “Health Workers for Palestine” group screened a documentary titled “Gaza Doctors Under Attack,” followed by a discussion featuring doctors from the United Kingdom who have worked in the Gaza Strip.
The film, written and directed by Marita Ravalli, examines the lives of healthcare workers in Gaza and the threats they faced following the Israeli attack on the Strip on October 9, 2023.
It reveals the systematic targeting of healthcare facilities, medical personnel, and their families, highlighting the attack on Al-Shifa Hospital as the first target of this campaign.
The film also refutes the Israeli narrative, beginning with the denial of responsibility and extending to the justification of the attack based on the claim that Hamas members were inside or beneath the hospital—allegations for which no evidence has yet been presented, as independent investigators have been denied access to the site.
Following the displacement of residents from northern Gaza to the south, including the sick and elderly, Dr. Bashar was arrested on suspicion of aiding Hamas, without any evidence being presented. The film also addressed the case of Dr. Khaled Hammoudi, who worked at Al-Awda Hospital. He was arrested, stripped naked, and blindfolded before being paraded through the streets of Gaza City during the first weeks of the war, in scenes documented by the media.
Hammoudi stated that he was arrested at the hospital on charges of aiding Hamas, subjected to torture and ill-treatment, and later transferred to a hospital while injured, but remained in detention. He emphasized that these practices violate international law.
He added that some Israeli doctors refused to treat Palestinian patients, and in other cases, provided treatment while assaulting the patients. He noted that some patients underwent medical procedures without anesthesia.
Upon his return, Hammoudi learned that 12 members of his family had been killed in a bombing that targeted their home, including three of his brothers, all doctors, and his daughter.
