The images we’ve seen out of Gaza and the West Bank over the past week have been shocking, disturbing, and disheartening. Our founding mission at AMO is one of human rights—the right of all people to have an opportunity to live their dreams, regardless of their race, background, religion, or political beliefs. 

We hope that a ceasefire can be reached immediately to prevent further loss of life, tragedy, and destruction.  

Over 200 Palestinians have been killed, including 61 children, while more than 1,500 have been wounded. Two senior doctors in Gaza’s largest hospitals were also killed in an Israeli attack, further exacerbating the shortage of medical professionals, knowledge, skills, and supply in the area. Hamas missiles have killed more than 10 Israelis. 

More than 58,000 Palestinians have been displaced from their homes; destruction and damage have also been wrought on hospitals, clinics, water pipes, sewage systems, and other buildings.  The attacks have only worsened the impact of the pandemic. Covid-19 vaccinations have stopped, and on Tuesday, an Israeli strike destroyed the only lab in the Gaza territory that processed coronavirus tests. 

The violence is the worst since 2014 when 2,200 people died from Hamas rocket fire attacks and Israel’s seven-week invasion of Gaza. 

The overwhelming majority of Israelis and Palestinians do not want conflict, forced evictions, or rockets fired; instead, they have taken to the streets and social media to call for peace.  

To see a future where both groups can live in peace, one need only look to the staff at the hospitals where victims of this conflict are treated. Wolfson Medical Center is in a working-class neighborhood of Tel Aviv made up of Jews, Arabs, and recent immigrants. A staff made up of people from each of these groups is working together to save lives and help their patients, regardless of background. They work together as a care team, building friendships and recognizing the shared humanity amongst us all. They see each patient as someone in need of medical assistance regardless of their ethnicity, putting differences aside to follow the hippocratic oath they all took. We hope leaders on both sides look to the examples these healthcare workers live each day and end this deadly violence. 

 

Organization Providing Relief, That You Can Support

Here are some organizations you can support that provide humanitarian relief.