'A death sentence:' Medical professionals condemn Israeli attacks on Gaza's health care during rally Saturday
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- It's been six weeks since Hamas, a known terrorist organization, attacked Israel -- and on Saturday, some area medical professionals rallied for a ceasefire of the violence in the Middle East, particularly with the growing medical crisis in Gaza.
Multiple doctors, physician's assistants, pharmacists, therapists, and more gathered in front of Hayat Pharmacy on Nov. 18, holding signs and standing together in solidarity with Gaza's medical workers.
“It’s happening right now and we’re watching it and we’re seeing it," said Dr. Rami Abumasmah, a hematologist and oncologist based out of Rockford, Il. "Hospitals have been destroyed, the patients have been deprived of the right to be treated, wounded people have no right to be treated and they’re being ambushed and forced to leave the hospital, being deprived of basic necessities. What we're seeing now has never been seen before."
Dr. Abumasmah said 20 innocent members of his family were recently killed in the violence.
“I was talking to them three days before this massacre," Dr. Abumasmah said, remembering when he got the call from his brother. "It cannot go so far. This is beyond any limit."
On Friday, Nov. 17, World Health Organization officials gave an update on Gaza's health crisis during a meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.
"What is clear is that the health needs of the people of Gaza are growing all the time, and the health system is near collapse," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. "Only 10 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are still functioning, with just 1,400 hospital beds."
The Associated Press also reported that Israeli troops stormed inside of Gaza's largest hospital earlier in the week, after claiming Hamas had turned the facility into a command center, complete with weapons stockpiles and tunnel entrances. Both Hamas and Gaza health officials have denied those claims.
“Basically, a death sentence for all these people who are in an intensive care unit and the preemies who needed those medications," said Dr. Hashim Zaibak, the CEO of Hayat Pharmacy. "A lot of them have already died and some of them, whoever is still alive today, is probably going to be dying in the next couple days.”
Others said these attacks are targeting some of society's most vulnerable groups.
“In this scenario, Israel is specifically targeting the weakest people and the weakest of civilians which of those are women and children," said Dr. Roa Qato, an OBGYN in Milwaukee. “Sometimes it’s unimaginable to go into labor without access to pain management let alone basic necessities of healthcare... This isn’t an earthquake; this is not a hurricane that caused demolition of hospitals and lack of access to facilities. This is a human-made catastrophe funded by our US tax dollars.”
All said this should be considered a humanitarian crisis and should be treated as such moving forward.
“I care about the human aspect as a human being and a physician. This is shame on the humanity," Dr. Abumasmah said.
Hours after the rally, the Washington Post reported that Israel, the United States, and Hamas had agreed to a tentative deal that would free dozens of women and children who are held hostage in Gaza, in exchange for a five-day pause in fighting.
Officials said this could happen in the next several days.