What we are witnessing in Gaza is 'healthocide': The Lancet
Renowned medical journal, The Lancet, in a research paper said what we are witnessing in Gaza is ‘healthocide’
Renowned medical journal, The Lancet, in a research paper said what we are witnessing in Gaza is ‘healthocide’.
Researchers introduced "healthocide" in BMJ Global Health to highlight systematic violence against healthcare systems in conflicts.
Detailing the systematic attack of the Israeli occupation forces (IDF) on Gaza, said the besieged Palestinian territory is going through healthocide, and asked medical societies not to stay silent.
“Most medical and surgical societies worldwide have remained silent or issued vague statements about Gaza's healthocide”, The Lancet paper noted.
“A recent analysis found that only 24•5% of US speciality societies commented publicly on the Gaza conflict, in contrast to previous crises in which medical societies mobilised resources and expressed support”, it said.
Agencies working for World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nation have reported at least 772 attacks on healthcare, with 94% of hospitals damaged or destroyed and more than 1500 healthcare workers killed - the highest toll ever recorded.
On Hospitals as Cover
The Israeli forces justified its systematic attacks on hospitals in Gaza claiming they are used for Hamas and other Resistance fighters as cover. The Lancet paper refuted these claims.
“No independent or neutral organisation has provided evidence that Hamas deliberately used hospitals or other civilian facilities as human shields”, The Lancet paper said.
Lancet did not stop here but said even if hospitals were used by Hamas as cover, the indiscriminate bombings of the Israeli forces could not be justified.
“Even if proven in the future, such claims could never justify systematic attacks on the health-care system. This is a violation of international humanitarian law and demands explicit condemnation”, The Lancet paper said.
Moral, Ethical Duty
The paper insists that medical neutrality, a core tenet of international humanitarian law, obliges health professionals not just to provide impartial care, but also to condemn violations wherever they occur. The value of human life, the authors argue, must never depend on nationality, religion, or politics.
"Both Israeli and Palestinian physicians treated victims during the October 7, 2023 tragedy, demonstrating health care’s potential to bridge divides, even amid intense conflict", the Lancet paper said.
Also Read: Timeline: Israel’s attacks on Gaza Healthcare System since Oct 7
The authors urged medical societies to speak out unambiguously, support all victims, denounce attacks on medical personnel and infrastructure, and do everything possible to ensure care reaches those in need. They argue that remaining silent in the name of neutrality is in effect complicity in the face of injustice.
The Lancet paper calls for action to support both Palestinian and Israeli physicians working to change the situation from within and emphasizes that medicine is “more than science—it is a moral duty.”
The Lancet’s categorization of IDF bombing of hospitals and healthcare infrastructure as “healthocide” comes weeks after a United Nations commission of inquiry found there are reasonable grounds to conclude that Israel is committing genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
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