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The National (Scotland)
The National (Scotland)
National
Joe Sullivan

30 UK-based Gaza doctors demand Keir Starmer place 'total ban' on Israeli arms sales

UK-BASED doctors who volunteered in Gaza have demanded Keir Starmer stop arms sales to Israel.

In a letter published on Friday, 30 healthcare professionals signed the letter which said the British government had both a "moral and legal" obligation to stop arms sales to the country.

The signatories include Glasgow University rector Ghassan Abu-Sittah, who was temporarily banned from entering the Schengen Area and detained in Germany when travelling to host a conference on healthcare in Gaza.

The letter, which also addressed Foreign Secretary David Lammy, said the signatories were a "multi-faith and multi-ethnic group" united by "the desire to care for those who are suffering."

It continues: "Everyone in Gaza is sick, injured, or both. This includes every national aid worker, every international volunteer, and every man, woman and child.

Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, Glasgow University's rector, signed the letterDr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, Glasgow University's rector, signed the letter (Image: Martini)

"Virtually every child under the age of five whom we encountered, both inside and outside of the hospital, had both a cough and watery diarrhoea.

"We write to you in certainty that if you had seen, heard and experienced the things we have, there would be no question of placing an arms embargo on Israel."

The letter was publicised by the International Centre for Justice of Palestinians, a group of lawyers, politicians and academics who advocate for Palestinian rights.

The doctors also described how several of them had been injured when an Israeli bomb landed six metres from their accommodation.

They further detailed how some of their Palestinian colleagues had been kidnapped, abused and humiliated by the Israeli military, with some facing torture and sexual abuse while in internment

The statement also said that they believed that the true death toll is "far beyond" the figure of 40,000 identified by Gaza's health ministry.

It continued: "Any solution to this problem requires a withholding of military, economic and diplomatic support from Israel, and participating in a full arms embargo of Israel, until a permanent ceasefire is established.

"We believe our government is obligated to do this both under British law and international humanitarian law, and that it is morally as well as legally the right thing to do.

"Prime Minister Starmer and Foreign Secretary Lammy, we urge and implore you to end our role in this unimaginable cruelty now."

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