(MENAFN) Amid escalating tensions in the Gaza Strip, Western doctors have issued dire warnings of an impending humanitarian catastrophe if Israel proceeds with its planned ground offensive against Hamas militants in the southern region of Rafah. The doctors, who have recently visited the area, stress that such an offensive could result in devastating consequences, including mass casualties and widespread suffering among civilians.
Speaking at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Dr. Zaher Sahloul, co-founder of the United States-based MedGlobal medical charity, emphasized the severity of the crisis, describing it as potentially the worst scenario within the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. With over a million civilians, many of whom are reportedly facing starvation, seeking refuge in Rafah following previous Israeli attacks that razed their neighborhoods, the prospect of further violence poses an imminent threat to innocent lives.
According to Dr. Sahloul and his colleagues, an Israeli assault on Rafah could lead to a bloodbath of unprecedented proportions, with the potential for hundreds of thousands of deaths. Their warnings come after firsthand accounts of the dire conditions in Gaza, where they witnessed appalling atrocities and injuries, particularly among women and children, during their volunteer work earlier this year.
Dr. Nick Maynard, a United Kingdom surgeon with over a decade of experience working in the Palestinian territories, shared chilling insights into the trauma inflicted on civilians, recounting the harrowing scenes witnessed at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital. The profound impact of the conflict on innocent lives underscores the urgent need for intervention to prevent further escalation and mitigate the humanitarian crisis gripping Gaza.
The doctors' impassioned pleas for a ceasefire and the cancellation of the planned offensive in Rafah come as they engage in advocacy efforts, meeting with United States lawmakers and government officials in Washington to raise awareness of the desperate situation unfolding in Gaza. Their firsthand testimonies shed light on the human toll of the conflict and underscore the imperative for immediate action to avert further loss of life and alleviate the suffering of civilians caught in the crossfire.
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