Healthcare Workers on ICJ Ruling and to Biden: “Ceasefire in Gaza is the only way to prevent genocide” 

Today, the International Court of Justice has found in its preliminary ruling that Israel is plausibly committing genocide in Gaza and that it must stop and prevent all genocidal acts. While today’s ICJ resolution falls short of calling for an immediate ceasefire, South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Naledi Pandor has stated ‘...in exercising the [Court’s] order, there would have to be a ceasefire. Without it, the order doesn’t actually work.’ The ICJ decision to attempt to provisionally order a full ceasefire serves as a reminder that it is only through a process of civil society actors urging their governments that a permanent end to an assault that has now taken more than 25,000 lives can be won. To that end, as healthcare workers, we join over 2/3 of the US public and 153 nations around the world to demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and the West Bank and massive humanitarian aid at scale. 

Our eyes turn to the first hearing for the Defense for Children International - Palestine v. Biden at 9:00 a.m. (PST) / 12 p.m. (EST) / 7 p.m. (Palestine) online and in Oakland, CA. Dozens of the members of the national Healthcare Workers for Palestine have signed an amicus brief in support of the lawsuit by the Center for Constitutional Rights, charging President Biden and other U.S. officials with genocide.

In just over 100 days, Israel has killed over 1% of the Gaza population, including over 10,000 children and displaced 1.9 million Palestinians, 85% of the Gaza population. Israel, the world’s fourth strongest military power, has used more force than any other conflict in modern history to destroy hospitals, schools, universities. In 100 days, Israel dropped nearly 30,000 bombs and shells on Gaza. That’s eight times more than the U.S. used in Iraq in six years. 

The Gaza healthcare system is collapsing. Israel has attacked healthcare facilities in Gaza and the West Bank nearly 600 times since October 7, killing over 400 healthcare workers, including over 140 UN staff. The UN has warned that Gaza has become “uninhabitable,” as Israel continues to limit the entry of the basic necessities for survival: food, water, essential medicines, fuel, and has even attacked aid convoys. All 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza face the imminent risk of famine. UN human rights experts warn, “Israel is destroying Gaza’s food system and using food as a weapon against the Palestinian people.” Israeli forces have destroyed 22% of agricultural fields in Northern Gaza, compounding food insecurity. 

Israel has destroyed over 390 educational institutions, and targeted academic, scientific and intellectual figures, killing 94 university professors, over 231 educators and administrators, and 4327 students, and systematically destroying every university in Gaza. 83 journalists have been killed and 25 arrested. Israel has also destroyed over 60% of the homes in Gaza and razed cemeteries, resulting in UN experts warning that systematic attacks on housing and civilian infrastructure constitute domicide, which is a war crime. 

The United Nations definition of genocide, is defined as the “intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.” Israeli government and military officials have made numerous dehumanizing statements about Palestinians. Netanyahu has declared his intent to “thin out” the Palestinian population of Gaza. Israeli leaders have called Palestinians “human animals” and urged soldiers to focus on “maximum damage” not “accuracy.” Multiple Israeli officials have openly called for Palestinians to be expelled from Gaza, and declaring the “Gaza Nakba” is underway. Prime Minister Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected any vision for a future Palestinian state, calling for Israeli control of all Palestinian territories, including the West Bank and Gaza. essentially guaranteeing that Palestinians will have neither rights nor sovereignty. Yet Biden continues to send weapons for Israel’s inhumane and increasingly unpopular massacre. 

Two of three US voters have supported ceasefire since late October. One of three US voters already believes the Israeli aggression in Gaza constitute genocide, and a majority of Americans support conditioning future aid to Israel. It is time to abandon a foreign policy which treats Palestinian lives as disposable. The only path forward is one which includes a vision of equal rights and sovereignty for Palestinians and Israelis from the river to the sea.  On this day, the International Day of Action Against Genocide, we join South Africa, the Center for Constitutional Rights and millions of people in the United States and billions around the world to say to President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken and Secretary of Defense Austin and to the State and Military of Israel: “We charge you with genocide!”