Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on Palestine, on Monday urged medical professionals around the world to sever ties with Israel as a direct response to the destruction of Gaza’s health care system.

“I urge medical professionals worldwide to pursue the severance of all ties with Israel as a concrete way to forcefully denounce Israel’s full destruction of the Palestinian healthcare system in Gaza, a critical tool of its ongoing genocide,” Albanese said on X.

Albanese’s statement comes as the ongoing conflict continues to devastate Palestinian infrastructure, with Gaza’s medical facilities being severely impacted by Israeli military actions.

Her comments reflect growing international concern over the deteriorating humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where hospitals and clinics have been targeted and overwhelmed by the relentless violence. The lack of essential medical supplies, infrastructure damage, and loss of life have left Gaza’s health sector struggling to cope.

Albanese also highlighted the case of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, a Palestinian doctor who has been detained by Israeli authorities, calling for his immediate release and adding the hashtag #FreeDrHussamAbuSafiya in support of his cause.

Israel has continued a genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since a Hamas attack on Oct. 7 last year despite a UN Security Council resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire according to Anadolu.

The second year of genocide in Gaza has drawn growing international condemnation, with officials and institutions labeling the attacks and blocking of aid deliveries as a deliberate attempt to destroy a population.

In November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its deadly war on Gaza.

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Gaza Alert

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese called on the world to rescue Palestinian civilians, who have been subjected to various types of atrocities by Israeli occupation forces for over a year in the Gaza Strip.

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UN Rapporteurs Speak of ‘The Horrors of Genocide’ in Gaza

Tlaleng Mofokeng, UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health said they have witnessed “the horror of genocide in Gaza” since the start of the Israeli aggression on 7 October, 2023.

This came in a joint press conference held by Mofokeng with other UN rapporteurs, Monday, on the situation in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territories, within the framework of the 57th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Horrors of Genocide

Mofokeng added Gaza witnessed genocide in the last 11 months by the Israeli occupation, explaining attacks on hospitals and health workers have reached an unprecedented level, pointing to the complete destruction of the health infrastructure in Gaza.

She reported that only 17 out of 36 hospitals in Gaza continue to operate partially, noting that Israel continues to violate international law by launching attacks on civilians, children and health workers.

In turn, the Special Rapporteur on the human right to safe drinking water and sanitation, Pedro Araujo-Agudo, highlighted the water crisis in the Gaza Strip.

He added currently, the people of Gaza live on an average of 4.7 liters of water per person per day, while the World Health Organization has set the minimum required amount of water in times of emergency at 15 liters.

Open Catastrophe

As for the UN Special Rapporteur on the International System, George Katrougalos, he said what is happening in the Palestinian territories is “an open catastrophe for everyone.”

He added this catastrophe and tragedy is not limited to the Palestinians only, but is directly linked to the future of multilateralism and the standards of the United Nations.

Katrougalos called for the immediate recognition of the State of Palestine, and for all countries to exert pressure to stop the war on Gaza.

For her part, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, said the Israeli attacks on Gaza have reached a worrying level and have extended to the West Bank as well.

She added that the Israeli “genocidal attacks” for nearly a year have destroyed the basic infrastructure in the Palestinian territories.

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