Pro-Palestine protesters condemn Israel鈥檚 targeting of hospitals, medical workers

January 6, 2025
Issue 
Targeting health care workers is a war crime, Naarm/Melbourne, January 5
Targeting health care workers is a war crime, Naarm/Melbourne, January 5. Photo: Chloe DS

At the weekly protests in Naarm/Melbourne and Gadigal Country/Sydney聽on January 5 against Israel鈥檚 genocide, Israel was condemned for its attack on the Kamal Adwan hospital and the arbitrary arrest and detention of its director.

January 5 was the 457th day of Israel鈥檚 latest genocidal assault.

About 1000 people protested for Palestine in an energising rally on January 5 in Gadigal Country/Sydney.聽Pro-Palestine rallies have continued every Sunday there for the past 15 months.

Rachel Evans reports that speakers said that the Israel-Lebanon 鈥渃easefire鈥 had been violated by Israel more than 1000 times in 60 days, with drones, bombings and troop incursions.

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We demand a ceasefire, Gadigal Country/Sydney, January 5
We demand a ceasefire, Gadigal Country/Sydney, January 5

The Palestine Action Group has announced that the protest will join the Invasion Day rally on January 26, which starts at 10am at Belmore Park.

Kamala Emanuel reports that 200 people joined a health workers鈥 vigil on January 3 in Magan-djin/Brisbane.

Speaking about Israel鈥檚 assault on the Kamal Adwan hospital in northern Gaza, health care worker Yassmin Khadra told the crowd that 鈥渢his is not just an attack on one hospital, but an attack on the very principles of humanity, justice and the sanctity of health care鈥.

鈥淭his vigil is not just a moment to grieve, it is a call to action,鈥 Khadra said, calling for justice and for Israel to be made accountable for its war crimes.

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Health care workers vigil, Magan-djin/Brisbane, January 3
Health care workers vigil, Magan-djin/Brisbane, January 3. Photo: Kamala Emanuel

Peter Curtis reported on that police used violence against the peaceful January 3 pro-Palestine protest in聽Ngunnawal/Canberra.

鈥淪ince the beginning of the occupation the weekly march always proceeds down Bunda Street,鈥 Curtis reported, saying this was the usual route taken 鈥渨ithout incident and accompanied by police鈥.

This time, police started 鈥渟houting into our faces to move off the road鈥 and attempted to block people鈥檚 passage.

鈥淲e refused and continued to proceed up the street as we always have.鈥

Chloe DS reports that despite 40掳C heat, thousands gathered to hear聽speakers talk up anti-genocide, anti-occupation and anti-apartheid messages before marching for Palestine in聽the first protest of 2025.聽

It was the 65th week of protest in Naarm/Melbourne.

A speaker from Australian Nurses and Midwives for Palestine urged medical professionals to demand all ties be severed as a 鈥渃oncrete聽way鈥 to denounce 鈥淚srael鈥檚 full destruction of the Palestinian healthcare system in Gaza鈥.

She condemned the attack on the Kamal Adwan hospital and the arbitrary arrest and detention聽of its director Dr聽Hussam Abu Safia.聽

Safia has聽reportedly been detained at the Sde Teiman base, located in the Negev desert near the border with the Gaza Strip, after defying evacuation orders and refusing to leave his patients.

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Photo: Chloe DS

She said Israel鈥檚 actions were part of a pattern to聽鈥渃ontinue to聽bombard, destroy and fully聽annihilate聽the right to health in Gaza鈥.

She said health workers are not legitimate targets for attack and have special protections under international health and humanitarian law. They cannot be legitimately detained for undertaking their work.

Attacks on healthcare workers, hospitals and health facilities, including ambulances, contravene聽the fundamental rights of individuals to access essential聽healthcare services.聽This is a war crime, under the fourth聽Geneva Convention鈥檚 definition, she said.

Addressing her colleagues in Palestine, she said she was ashamed at medical leaders for abdicating their responsibility to uphold medical ethics. 鈥淭hey have failed to speak up in solidarity or condemn Israel's war crimes against you and your community. But we will not abandon聽you.鈥澛

Iman and Khatib, Mohamed Al Jibaly and Palestinian engineer and activist Basil El-Ghattis also addressed the protest.聽

Australian Palestine Action Network president Nasser Mashni reminded the crowd that the Palestinians remain 鈥渦nconquered and undefeated鈥.

He quoted聽lifelong anti-war activist AJ Muste who, during the Vietnam War,聽stood in front of the White House every night with a candle.

A聽reporter asked him on a rainy night: 鈥淒o you really think you are going to change the policies of this country by standing out here alone at night in front of the White House with a candle?鈥

Muste replied: 鈥淥h, I don鈥檛 do this to change the country.聽I do this so the country won鈥檛 change me.鈥

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Photo: Chloe DS

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Photo: Jepke Goudsmit

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