Washington: A group of 152 American medical professionals who have volunteered in Gaza over the past two years have called on President Donald Trump to cease US support for Israel's military actions in the region. In a letter addressed to Trump, the health workers, who have firsthand experience treating patients in Gaza's hospitals during the conflict, urged the US to end its military, economic, and diplomatic backing of the "ongoing destruction" in Gaza. They also advocated for an international arms embargo on all parties involved in the conflict, describing such measures as both morally right and legally necessary under US and international law.
According to Anadolu Agency, the letter highlighted the heartbreaking plight of Gaza's children, urging the US government to reconsider its position. The medical professionals expressed their inability to comprehend why the US continues to arm Israel while its military actions result in the deaths of children. They recounted the severe injuries treated in Gaza, including burns, dismemberment, and gunshot wounds, affecting even unborn children whose mothers were victims of "American-made bombs."
The group reported witnessing mass violence against civilians and described the scale of brutality as unprecedented. They criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a US- and Israeli-backed initiative, for its operations in the region, labeling it a "humanitarian abomination." They accused the GHF of being a "uniquely cruel tool of coercion" funded by American taxpayers and alleged that American contractors have been involved in indiscriminate shootings of Palestinian civilians.
Since the launch of a separate aid distribution scheme by Israel on May 27, bypassing the UN and other humanitarian agencies, nearly 2,600 people have been killed and 19,000 injured at distribution points. The medical workers described the dire conditions in Gaza, with widespread malnutrition, overwhelmed hospitals, and fast-spreading epidemics among displaced populations. They warned that without an immediate ceasefire and a massive influx of aid, deaths from starvation would escalate rapidly.
The letter detailed the devastating impact on Gaza's healthcare system, with major hospitals and clinics targeted and healthcare workers killed. They called these actions "unprecedented in world history" and labeled them as crimes of the highest order, urging an end to the US government's support.
The medical professionals demanded the reopening of all crossings between Israel and Gaza to allow unrestricted aid delivery by international humanitarian organizations. They also called for the defunding and investigation of the GHF, and for aid security screenings to be managed by an independent international body. They emphasized the need for adequate water supply and full access for medical personnel and supplies to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.