Media Advisory - EyeWitnessGaza - Following Amnesty International's damning report, Healthcare Workers Worldwide Hold Press Conferences Demanding Urgent Action to Stop Israel's Genocide in Gaza

HAMILTON, ON, Dec. 6, 2024 /CNW/ -

Dates: December 9 and 10, 2024
Location: Cities worldwide
(Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, Turkey, Malaysia, Namibia, South Africa, Palestine)
Address: Hamilton press conference location: The steps outside the registrar's office McMaster University campus, 1280 Main Street West. Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8.

On December 9, International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime, healthcare workers in cities across the globe will gather to hold simultaneous press conferences demanding immediate and decisive action to address Israel's ongoing atrocities in Gaza, and escalating violence in the West Bank. Many of these healthcare workers have direct experience in Gaza, having worked on the ground and witnessed the genocide first-hand. This international action follows a comprehensive and independent report by Amnesty International that confirmed "Israel's Genocide Against Palestinians in Gaza."

Why This Matters: This date marks a solemn day of remembrance for the victims of genocide. It is an urgent call for immediate and effective action to prevent such crimes. These healthcare workers are raising global awareness about the ongoing genocide in Gaza, where Israel's military actions has caused mass casualties, widespread destruction, and clear violations of international humanitarian law. These doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals, many of whom were in Gaza and personally witnessed the atrocities, will share their eyewitness accounts of the violence and call for urgent, immediate, and effective action from governments and international bodies to end Israel's genocide.

Healthcare workers condemn the failure of the international community to protect hospitals and healthcare workers from Israeli military attacks; the continued sale of arms to Israel facilitating these acts; the failure to ensure accountability for war crimes; and the failure to ensure unimpeded humanitarian access to Palestine, including Gaza and the West Bank.
Healthcare workers demand an end to Israel's genocide in Gaza. Worldwide, countries will be making additional demands that depend on the level of their government's complicity in Israel's genocide in Gaza. These may include:

• Implementing a comprehensive arms embargo on Israel
• Issuing a statement opposing genocide by healthcare and/or government authorities
• Creating a medical evacuation system to provide life-saving medical care to Palestinians in Gaza
• Expulsion of Israeli diplomats, or diplomatic sanctions on Israeli government officials
• Recognition of the State of Palestine
• Support for the South Africa vs. Israel case at the International Court of Justice
• Providing humanitarian and development aid, including enhancing funding of UNRWA

Press Conference Details: Healthcare workers will gather in dozens of cities worldwide, including in Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Ireland, Malaysia, Turkey, Namibia, South Africa and Palestine. The number of participating cities continues to grow. Specific times and locations for each event are available upon request. Please contact us for further details on the exact locations and media access.

Eyewitness Accounts and Statements from Medical Workers: Several healthcare workers who have volunteered in Gaza will speak directly to their experiences, providing first-hand accounts of the devastation they witnessed and the critical medical challenges faced by healthcare providers in the Gaza Strip. These testimonies will highlight the urgent need for global action to stop the ongoing genocide and emphasize the responsibility of national and international bodies to intervene.

About International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide: Observed annually on December 9, this day serves as a reminder of the global community's responsibility to prevent and punish the crime of genocide. On this significant day, healthcare workers worldwide are coming together to speak out against Israel's genocide in Gaza, highlighting the urgent need for intervention to stop the violence and to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people.

Join the Conversation: Follow the event on social media (Instagram & Twitter @eyewitnessgaza). Use the hashtag #eyewitnessgaza to share information about the urgent calls for action. Over 5000 healthcare professionals around the world have already signed the Not Another Child, Not Another Hospital petition to urge healthcare leaders, institutions, peers, colleagues and policymakers to issue strong public statements condemning the attacks on healthcare in Gaza, demand an immediate permanent ceasefire, a complete embargo on arms transfers, and divestment from companies involved in the violence. We encourage all healthcare workers to sign today: https://ujoin.co/campaigns/3307/actions/public?action_id=4319 

SOURCE EyeWitnessGaza

Media Contact: For more information or to request an interview with a healthcare worker spokesperson, please contact: [email protected]