In a powerful and impassioned plea, a group of 152 American medical professionals who have volunteered in Gaza over the past nearly two years has called on President Donald Trump to immediately cease U.S. military, economic, and diplomatic support for Israel’s ongoing military operations in the Gaza Strip. The health workers, who have witnessed the devastating impact of the conflict firsthand while working in Gaza’s hospitals, issued their appeal in a detailed letter to the president on Wednesday, citing the catastrophic toll of the war on civilians, particularly children. Their call to action includes demands for an international arms embargo on all parties involved in the conflict, the immediate reopening of aid crossings, and the defunding of a controversial U.S.-backed aid initiative accused of enabling violence against Palestinians.
The letter, grounded in the medical professionals’ direct experiences, paints a harrowing picture of the violence and suffering in Gaza, describing it as “unlike anything any of us has ever seen.” The group detailed the routine treatment of children with severe injuries, including burns, dismemberment, gunshot wounds, and other trauma. They recounted particularly shocking cases, such as treating fetuses injured in utero when their mothers were killed by what they claim were “American-made bombs dropped by Israeli forces.” The medical workers emphasized the frequency of such incidents, noting that many of them regularly treated pre-teen children shot in the head or chest, sometimes multiple times a day. These accounts underscore the scale and intensity of the violence, which the group argues is being enabled by U.S. support.
The health workers’ letter also sharply criticized the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.- and Israeli-backed initiative launched in May to deliver aid directly to Gaza’s population, bypassing established international humanitarian agencies like the United Nations. The professionals labeled the GHF a “humanitarian abomination” and a “uniquely cruel tool of coercion” funded by American taxpayers. They accused the initiative of facilitating mass killings, citing reports of nearly 2,600 people killed and 19,000 injured by Israeli fire while attempting to collect aid at GHF distribution points since the program’s inception. The group further referenced accounts from two American contractors who allegedly witnessed American personnel indiscriminately shooting Palestinian civilians and concealing evidence of crimes against humanity.
The medical professionals described a dire humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with nearly every resident—including aid workers, volunteers, and possibly Israeli hostages—suffering from illness, injury, or severe malnutrition. They reported widespread starvation deaths, overwhelmed hospitals, rampant infections, and fast-spreading epidemics among displaced populations. Newborns face heightened risks due to malnutrition and a lack of clean water, while health workers themselves are collapsing from hunger and dehydration, often sacrificing their own food to feed their children. The group warned that without an immediate ceasefire and a massive influx of aid, deaths from starvation will surge in the coming months. They dismissed Israel’s limited concessions to international pressure as “token gestures” that fall far short of addressing the crisis.
The letter also condemned Israel’s attacks on Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure, describing them as “simply unprecedented in world history.” According to the group, every major hospital and most clinics in Gaza have been targeted, with health workers killed by bombs and bullets, often inside medical facilities. These attacks, they argue, constitute “crimes of the highest order,” made all the more intolerable by the U.S. government’s continued support for Israel. The medical professionals called for accountability, urging that the GHF be defunded and its leaders investigated for potential violations of U.S. and international law.
To address the crisis, the group proposed a series of urgent measures. They called for the immediate reopening of all crossings between Israel and Gaza, including the Rafah crossing with Egypt, to allow unrestricted delivery of aid by recognized international humanitarian organizations. They also demanded that aid security screenings be managed by an independent international body with transparent guidelines and a mechanism to challenge prohibited items. Additionally, the group stressed the need for a minimum of 15 liters (4 gallons) of potable water per person per day to be allocated to Gaza’s population, alongside full access for medical personnel and supplies, including personal medical equipment.
The medical professionals framed their appeal not only as a moral imperative but also as a legal obligation under U.S. and international law. They argued that ending U.S. support for Israel’s actions in Gaza is “the right thing to do” and essential to halting the “ongoing destruction” in the enclave. The letter’s tone reflects a deep sense of urgency and frustration, with the group pleading with Trump to “hear the cries of Gaza’s children” and questioning why the U.S. continues to arm Israel in the face of such widespread suffering.
The health workers’ call to action comes at a time of heightened international scrutiny of the conflict in Gaza, which has drawn widespread condemnation for its impact on civilians. The letter highlights the unique perspective of medical professionals who have worked on the ground, offering firsthand accounts of the human cost of the war. Their experiences lend weight to their demands for immediate policy changes, including a shift away from U.S. support for Israel’s military campaign and a reevaluation of initiatives like the GHF, which they argue have exacerbated rather than alleviated the crisis.
The group’s appeal also reflects broader concerns about the role of U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and the ethical implications of supporting a conflict that has resulted in significant civilian casualties. By invoking U.S. and international law, the medical professionals underscore the potential legal ramifications of continued U.S. involvement, particularly in light of allegations of war crimes and human rights violations. Their demand for an international arms embargo further signals a desire for a broader reevaluation of military support to all parties involved in the conflict, emphasizing the need for a neutral and humanitarian approach to resolving the crisis.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, the letter from these 152 American medical professionals serves as a stark reminder of the human toll of the conflict and the urgent need for action. Their firsthand accounts of treating injured children, witnessing starvation, and navigating a collapsed healthcare system highlight the scale of the crisis and the moral imperative to address it. By calling on President Trump to end U.S. support for Israel’s war on Gaza, the group is not only challenging current U.S. policy but also amplifying the voices of Gaza’s civilians, who they say are crying out for help. The letter concludes with a plea for immediate action, warning that without significant changes, the suffering in Gaza will only worsen, with devastating consequences for an already beleaguered population.
The medical professionals’ demands for a ceasefire, unrestricted aid access, and accountability for alleged crimes reflect a broader call for justice and humanity in the face of overwhelming violence. Their letter is a powerful testament to the resilience of Gaza’s people and the dedication of those who have worked to alleviate their suffering, even as they face unimaginable challenges. As the world watches the unfolding crisis, the voices of these health workers serve as a clarion call for urgent and meaningful change.
