Urgent International Women's Day Response to Physical Abuse, Sexual Assault and Torture of Palestinian Women, Children, and Healthcare Workers in Gaza

TORONTO, March 6, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, a grim milestone has been reached : 153 days of relentless and indiscriminate carpet bombing in Gaza by Israeli forces. This assault has tragically claimed over 30,000 civilian lives, including more than 15,000 children and 9,000 women¹, marking this period as one of the darkest in modern history. The blatant disregard for International Humanitarian Law (IHL) has transformed Gaza into what James Elder, the chief spokesperson for the UN and an authority on IHL, has described as a "graveyard for children." Gaza has also become a graveyard for International Humanitarian Law as all 3 key principles of the Geneva Convention article #4 is based on 3 principles have been grossly violated by Israel.

The ongoing siege extends beyond the bombings, with a devastating blockade on essential resources such as food, water, and medical care, directly contributing to a humanitarian catastrophe. This blockade is causing widespread deaths from starvation, dehydration, and infections, exacerbating the suffering of Gaza's most vulnerable populations. In Rafah alone, a quarter of the population is teetering on the edge of famine, due to man-made forced starvation.

"UN experts* have expressed alarm over credible allegations of egregious human rights violations of Palestinian women and girls  in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank."² Canadian physicians, have recently returned from Gaza with in person testimonies confirming the torture and sexual assault of Palestinians women and girls as per the recent UN report. There are horrifying reports of sexual violence against Palestinian women and girls, including the systemic detainment and repeated rape of Palestinian girls and women for days on end, in captivity.  There are now approximately 50,000 pregnant women experiencing a staggering 300% increase in early miscarriages. Medical procedures, including Cesarean sections, are being performed without anesthesia, amidst reports of physical abuse, torture of healthcare workers (HCWs), and the kidnapping of over 200 physicians and HCWs since October 7. More than 400 HCWs have been killed, and the healthcare infrastructure is in ruins.They also recount the heart-wrenching scenes of doctors being interrogated for over 5 weeks wearing nothing but diapers and being severely beaten. Palestinian Doctors recount their surgical experiences of operating on children arriving at hospitals dismembered and severely burned, witnessing injuries of a severity unprecedented in other conflicts.

As Canada commits to the eradication of gender based and sexual violence around the world and positions itself as a world leader through its own foreign policy programs such as Canada's Feminist International Assistance policy, UOSSM -Canada  asks the government to remain committed to its stated goals of alleviating gender based violence in conflict zones and to intervene in the hardships on vulnerable populations caused by mass displacement, including doctors.

Press Conference Announcement:
To address this escalating genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza, we are holding a press conference.

Date: Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Time: 11 am EST
Location: UOSSM Canada Office, 2255 Dundas St. W. - Suite 129, Mississauga, ON L5K 1R6

Speakers Include:
Salim Elewa ? A relative of a kidnapped physician, representing Action For Palestine - Healthcare Workers Coalition.
Dr. Amgad El-Sherif ? A Thoracic Surgeon with the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) (recent arrival from Gaza, eyewitness account)
Dr. Wafaa Hasan ? Professor and Author, Women and Gender Studies.
Dr. Aliya Khan ? A Clinical Professor of Medicine and a Board Member of UOSSM

This press conference will address urgent demands:

1. A  Canadian investigation into the sexual violence against Palestinian women and girls in Gaza with a budget of at least $2 million.
2. Canada should immediately commission the International Criminal Court to thoroughly investigate the sexual violence committed on Palestinian women, children and healthcare workers by the Israeli Defense Forces since and before Oct. 7
3. The provision of immediate emergency visas for entry to Canada for Palestinian survivors of rape, trauma, and torture (regardless of gender identification), as well as for those with complex medical injuries.
4. The immediate lifting of the blockade on food, water, and medical supplies to Gaza prioritizing vulnerable and critical areas with limited access.
5. A permanent ceasefire and call to an end of the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.

About UOSSM Canada: The Union Of Medical Care And Relief Organizations (UOSSM) is a Canadian non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the health needs and well-being of people affected by crises, fostering sustainable health services, and reducing human suffering.
About Action for Palestine - HCWC: This coalition comprises healthcare workers, experts, and volunteers united to advocate for justice for Palestine.

Date: Thursday, March 7, 2024 | Time: 11 am EST
Location: UOSSM Canada Office, 2255 Dundas St. W. - Suite 129, Mississauga, ON L5K 1R6
Please ensure to contact the office in advance to reserve space, as availability is on a first-come, first-served basis.

SOURCE UOSSM Canada & Action for Palestine - HCWC