Supporting Our Physician Colleagues in Palestine

A Call for Solidarity

Prof Nagwa Nashat Hegazy (Egypt),
Honorary Secretary,
WONCA East Mediterranean Region

As members of the global medical community and family physicians, we are bound by a professional and ethical obligation to advocate for health equity, human rights, and the protection of healthcare systems worldwide. Today, our colleagues in Palestine are enduring extreme adversity, practicing medicine under siege with severely compromised infrastructure, critical shortages of medical supplies, and the persistent threat of violence. As representatives of WONCA (World Organization of Family Doctors) and advocates for primary care, we must amplify our collective voice in support of Palestinian healthcare workers and call for immediate international intervention to safeguard medical personnel and patients.

The Dire State of Palestine’s Healthcare System

1. Systemic Attacks on Medical Facilities and Personnel

• Hospitals, clinics, and ambulances have been repeatedly targeted, resulting in the deaths and detention of healthcare workers.
• Estimates say that a thousand or more health workers have been killed in Gaza since October 2023.
• These actions constitute clear violations of medical neutrality, as protected under the Geneva Conventions.

2. Collapse of Healthcare Infrastructure

• Critical shortages of essential medications, anesthetics, fuel, and clean water have paralyzed medical operations.
• Hospitals are operating without reliable electricity, leading to avoidable fatalities.
• The destruction of primary care facilities has left patients with chronic conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension, without access to vital care.

3. Profound Psychological and Moral Distress Among Healthcare Workers

• Physicians in Palestine are working under relentless conditions, forced to make impossible triage decisions.
• The inability to perform basic medical and humanitarian functions, including the dignified burial of the deceased, has compounded the trauma.

How Can the Global Medical Community Respond?

1. Advocate for Immediate Ceasefire and Protection of Medical Personnel

• Urge national governments and international bodies (e.g., UN, WHO) to enforce the principles of medical neutrality.

2. Facilitate Donations and Medical Supply Chains

• Contribute to reputable organizations.
• Advocate for establishing humanitarian corridors to deliver medical aid and deploy field hospitals.

3. Promote Education and Awareness

• Disseminate verified reports from WHO, UNRWA, and credible health NGOs to counter misinformation.
• Organize discussions within medical associations on the impact of armed conflict on primary healthcare delivery.

4. Address the Health Needs of Displaced Populations

• Displaced Palestinians face severe gaps in chronic disease management, mental health services, and maternal care.
• Advocate for expedited medical visas for critically injured patients and professional development opportunities for Palestinian healthcare workers.

5. Demonstrate Professional Solidarity

• Issue formal statements of support through medical associations and academic institutions.
• Collaborate with Palestinian telemedicine initiatives to provide remote consultations and training.

A Call to Action for WONCA and Family Physicians Worldwide

Family physicians are committed to the principle that healthcare is a fundamental human right. The deliberate dismantling of Palestine’s healthcare system represents a gross violation of this principle. We must:

• Demand an immediate ceasefire and unfettered access to medical care.
• Hold governments accountable for enabling violations of international humanitarian law.
• Stand in unwavering solidarity with Palestinian physicians who continue to serve under unconscionable conditions. 

Our Palestinian colleagues exemplify extraordinary resilience and dedication, providing care in circumstances that defy the basic tenets of medical practice. The global medical community has a moral imperative to act decisively. Through advocacy, collaboration, and sustained pressure, we can help mitigate this humanitarian catastrophe.

WONCA stands in solidarity with health personnel everywhere, particularly those operating in the most challenging and dangerous environments. One such example is Dr Suha Hamshari, winner of the 2023 WONCA Global Five Star Doctor Award, who leads the Family Medicine Clinic at An-Najah National University in Nablus in the West Bank. The clinic is a lifeline for thousands and now faces the threat of closure.
Read more and find out how to support their urgent appeal.

WONCA Statement on Protecting Health Workers and Patients in All Conflict Zones, Including Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan - August 2025