In response to continued reports of excessive force being used in the Occupied Palestinian Territories resulting in injuries and deaths, and reported attacks on and denials of access to health care, Physicians for Human Rights has issued the following statement:
“Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is deeply alarmed by the rapidly deteriorating situation engulfing Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, causing death and destruction.
“The current crisis, which began when Palestinian families were threatened with imminent forcible removal from their homes in Sheikh Jarrah by Israeli police and military, further escalated to include indiscriminate and excessive use of force and interference with the delivery of emergency medical care to injured Palestinian civilians.
“These events represent violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and have led to an escalation involving rocket strikes against Israeli civilians and air assaults on Palestinian communities.
“PHR urges an immediate cessation of hostilities to protect civilians, health workers, and emergency crews, and calls on all authorities to refrain from indiscriminate and excessive force against civilians and to allow unhindered access to health care to those injured as a result of this escalation.”
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) is a New York-based advocacy organization that uses science and medicine to prevent mass atrocities and severe human rights violations. Learn more here.