‘The world is watching us’: Doctors urge Harris to support Gaza cease-fire and arms embargo

As protests continued at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Tuesday, humanitarian activists opposing U.S. support for Israel’s assault on Gaza, alongside American doctors who recently volunteered in the besieged region, urgently called on Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, to endorse an arms embargo on Israel and demand an immediate ceasefire.

Their pleas were rooted in the devastation and suffering they had witnessed firsthand in Gaza.

During a press conference held by the Uncommitted National Movement, co-founder Abbas Alawieh emphasized their mission to advocate for policies that save lives. He criticized the Biden administration’s “hypocritical actions” of calling for a ceasefire while continuing to supply weapons to Israel, which he accused of using them to kill civilians and obstruct any hope of reuniting families.

Alawieh argued that this support not only perpetuates violence but also denies any possibility of a peaceful resolution for both Israelis and Palestinians.

Alawieh highlighted the Uncommitted National Movement’s success in mobilizing over 740,000 Democratic voters nationwide, urging the Democratic candidate, regardless of who it is, to adopt a new approach to Gaza.

Specifically, the movement demands an arms embargo to stop the flow of weapons being used to target civilians. Alawieh acknowledged that Harris’s team has engaged with them on this issue, but stressed the urgency of halting the bombings to demonstrate a genuine commitment to peace.

The protests gained further significance as doctors who had volunteered in Gaza shared their harrowing experiences. Dr. Tammy Abughnaim, an emergency physician from Chicago, recounted the horror of witnessing massacre after massacre and said that the people of Gaza had implored her to tell the world about their suffering.

On Monday, the DNC hosted its first-ever panel on Palestinian rights, where Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care physician who worked in Gaza, described the inhumanity she witnessed and the nightmares it has left her with.

Haj-Hassan’s testimony included accounts of widespread atrocities, such as the killing of thousands of children, the obliteration of entire families, and the targeting of humanitarian workers. She expressed the profound impact of witnessing children arrive at hospitals as the sole survivors of bombings that killed their entire families.

She also highlighted the dire situation in Gaza, where the lack of basic necessities and medical care has led to the resurgence of diseases like polio, which had been eradicated in most parts of the world decades ago. Haj-Hassan condemned the continued U.S. funding of these horrors, urging the Democratic Party to stand by its professed values of human rights and justice.

Although Harris has expressed sympathy for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, she has also reiterated her unwavering support for Israel. When questioned about a potential suspension of weapons transfers, her national security adviser stated that Harris would always ensure Israel’s defense against threats, opposing any arms embargo.

This stance has led human rights advocates to fear that if elected, Harris would maintain or even intensify U.S. support for Israel, much like former President Donald Trump, who they believe would be even more aggressive in backing Israel’s actions against Gaza.

According to Palestinian and international officials, Israel’s 319-day assault on Gaza has resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, most of whom are women and children, with nearly 93,000 more wounded. Additionally, around 10,000 Palestinians remain missing, presumed dead beneath the rubble of countless destroyed buildings. The entire population of Gaza, numbering 2.3 million, has been forcibly displaced.

The ongoing Israeli blockade has caused widespread starvation and a resurgence of diseases, with hundreds of thousands of Gazans suffering from malnutrition, dehydration, and lack of medical care. The blockade’s devastating impact has been highlighted in Israel’s ongoing genocide trial at the International Court of Justice.