Bulletin #103: Israel is erasing decades of lifesaving medical expertise

This fortnight

On July 2, Healthcare Workers Watch warned that Israeli occupation forces have now killed or imprisoned the heads of all hospitals in northern Gaza, including Dr. Marwan Al-Sultan, director of the Indonesian Hospital. “Israel’s lethal targeting of healthcare workers is not only causing a horrific loss of life but also obliterating their decades of lifesaving medical expertise at a time when their skills could not be needed more,” the organization stated. Since October 2023, more than 1,500 medics have been killed by Israeli forces – while Gaza’s health system edges ever closer to collapse.

Hospitals and health centers are intermittently operational, constantly disrupted by renewed forced displacement orders, targeted bombings, and a blockade that continues to starve Gaza’s population of food, water, and medicine. Despite growing pressure from health and human rights organizations around the world, governments, especially in Europe, continue to ignore calls to take meaningful action against Israel’s genocide.

Health workers across the European Union are being ignored on another front as well. Trade unions have recently pointed to over 1 million preventable deaths recorded by the EU’s statistics agency as austerity-related: direct consequences of years of budget cuts, understaffing, and erosion of public health systems. Meanwhile, EU leaders are preparing to allocate billions of euros for military spending.


Israel has killed or imprisoned directors of all North Gaza hospitals

Since October 2023, Israel has killed or imprisoned directors of every hospital in northern Gaza, continuing assaults on medical facilities.

Gaza hospitals shut down, Israel continues to block medical supplies

The health crisis in Gaza worsens as Israeli attacks persist, supplies dwindle, and most lack access to food and water.

Health trade unions urge EU to act on attacks against Gaza’s healthcare

European healthcare unions rallied outside the European Parliament, demanding urgent EU action to stop Israeli assaults on Gaza’s medical facilities and personnel.

Austerity linked to over 1 million preventable deaths in EU

In 2022, over 1 million people in the EU died from preventable causes. Trade unions are urging increased public investment and wealth taxes to reverse the trend.


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