Docs of war: Kaapse healthcare staff slam killing of colleagues in Gaza
|Published
More than 300 health workers gathered outside the Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town on Tuesday morning’s peak traffic with flags and placards to show support for the children of Palestine. Picture: Armand Hough/Independent Newspapers
Over 300 healthcare workers and hospital staff from across Cape Town gathered outside the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, in protest of the Israeli army systematically murdering their Palestinian colleagues in Gaza.
The early-morning picket was organised by the newly-formed Healthcare Workers for Palestine South Africa (HCW4PSA), as a response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine which has resulted in the complete collapse of the healthcare system in Gaza.
Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, was issued evacuation orders by the Israeli Defence Force (IDF).
On Monday, 28 of its 31 premature babies were forcibly evacuated and transported to Egypt.
An IDF strike at the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza resulted in the deaths of 12 Palestinians.
Over 200 healthcare workers have been killed in Gaza since October 7.
Present at Tuesday’s picket was Norwegian physician, humanitarian and activist, Dr Mads Gilbert, who is currently awaiting entry into Gaza to support Palestinian colleagues.
On why the healthcare workers had picketed, retired deputy Health Sciences Dean at UCT, Gonda Perez, said: “I think the main reason is that people are horrified at what is happening in Gaza and the fact that it’s been happening for such a very long time.
Seventy-five years is a long time. The repression has just gotten worse and the ultimate goal now seems to be the complete genocide of the Palestinian people.”
Paediatrician Dr Fatima Khan said: “...if they [healthcare workers] are wiped out, who is going to be left behind to look after the people of Palestine and Gaza?”
Footage emerged online purportedly showing an emotional Palestinian surgeon being consoled after having performed amputation surgery on his son without anaesthesia.
Paarl-based paediatrician Dr Samah El-Boraei said the picket was to encourage people to place pressure on the South African government to take action and to boycott Israel.
She said: “There needs to be a ceasefire. There needs to be an end of occupation.”