As campaigners for the right to access healthcare for all in this country, we deplore the attack on 7 October by Hamas on Israeli civilians and we witness with horror and dismay the mounting death toll of civilians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza as a consequence of Israel’s military response.
We deplore the utter destruction of health services and homes of the 2.3 million people of Gaza. The conflict has a very long history during which the Palestinian people have suffered displacement, occupation and death for decades.
Keep Our NHS Public condemns the deaths and imprisonment of civilians by both sides in the Israeli-Gaza conflict. We call for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the killing.
We deplore the Israeli attacks on health centres and hospitals in Gaza, on the patients who use them and staff who work in them. It is unacceptable to target these facilities, even if it is believed they are used by Hamas combatants, because of the high numbers of health workers and civilians who are present on these sites, including many who have fled the fighting in, and destruction of, their own homes and neighbourhoods.
Over a million Gaza residents are now displaced and homeless. Hunger and lack of clean water grip many and starvation is now a real possibility. The dangers of waterborne and other infections threaten. The survival of the residents of the Gaza Strip must now be prioritised. Priority must be given to aid efforts through the unimpeded supply of all forms of necessary assistance including food, water, medical supplies as well as the fuel required to enable remaining infrastructure to function effectively. Tragically, the assault on Gaza residents is also now being replicated by violent attacks on Palestinian villages in the West Bank by Israeli settlers, with the assistance of the IDF, which we equally condemn.
We are shocked by and condemn the deaths of 5000 children, the newborn premature babies lying on the floor with no special care and some babies dying; the deaths of 12,000 Palestinians. The mass destruction of Gaza including its hospitals – with over 200 dead health workers and patients dying without medical care – must stop.
We call upon national and international leaders to demand an immediate halt to the killing and destruction, and the release of all civilians held captive on both sides. There can be no peace without justice, and no justice without a ceasefire now.
KONP Executive Committee
Totally agree it has been horrific to watch what has happened and to see the most innocent being harmed the most
My heart hurts seeing the torment and injuries these poor children are suffering! I wish they could get rid of Hamas and then have peace talks between the Palestine and the Israelis!!!
Janet,peace talks have been a farce for decades, see oslo agreement which israel did not adhere to ever. It is israel that has no desire for peace talks, if they did they wouldn’t keep building illegal settlements. Hamas offered peace in 2018 in return for an end to the illegal occupation of palestine which is enshrined in UN resolutions but netanyahu ignored it. The only way for peace is to get rid of a fascist, zionist government and for any perpetrators to be prosecuted for war crimes.
Since Israel’s war crimes are supported by most western so-called civilised democracies, I doubt that prosecution will happen. This hypocrisy has shown up them up for the racist colonialists they really still are.