NUSEIRAT REFUGEE CAMP SCHOOL BOMBED, HOSPITAL OVERRUN WITH CHILD CASUALTIES

Another day, another war crime and massacre. While not surprising, I never cease to be disgusted, horrified, and heartbroken. Today, 7/7, Israel targeted another school housing displaced people in the Nuseirat refugee camp. Casualties have completely overwhelmed the already strained Al-Aqsa Hospital, most of which are children. The casualty count keeps rising. As I'm writing this, 16 dead and 50 wounded. People are still arriving at the hospital. The full scope of this massacre won't be fully known for some time. Dr. Yousaf, a pediatrician at Al-Aqsa Hospital, advised that the system is already totally overwhelmed from the repeated targeted destruction of the entire healthcare system. He said every hospital left is in a state of chaos. Every hour people are being brought in with severe injuries - shrapnel, blown off limbs, abdominal wounds so severe from the bombs Dr. Yousaf described it as "eviscerated". Dr. Yousaf describes the unimaginable psychological trauma both patients and medical staff experience every single moment. For medical staff who live in Gaza, every major massacre they ask "Where was the bombing?" They look in the faces of the incoming injured and dead to see if it was a family member or friend this time. For many medical staff since 10/7, it often is. The doctor was asked about the conditions of children specifically, and his voice notably shook as he recounted how yesterday after another Israeli school bombing, the influx of children with traumatic injuries brought into the resuscitation room was overwhelming - both in the medical staff's ability to provide care with scarce resources, and in the psychological torment of seeing children with these extreme injuries. Dr. Yousaf described some of the injuries those children came in with- one with a depressed skull fracture requiring intubation, one with a shrapnel wound so severe he could see an exposed kidney and transected spinal cord, and countless others with wounds not requiring surgery but clearly showing signs of severe psychological trauma and malnutrition. I demand that you:  – Hold Israel accountable for a permanent, immediate ceasefire, their violations of the Genocide Convention, and gross human rights violations by any means necessary – Call for the immediate end of Israel’s occupation and apartheid and support Palestinians in their fight for freedom and peace – Secure the immediate release and safety of all Palestinians who have been abducted and held captive by Israel, including those whose indefinite detention began prior to 10/7 – Permanently end all monetary, diplomatic, and military aid given to Israel and enforce Leahy Law – Reallocate all funds given to Israel and commit additional resources for ongoing humanitarian relief for Palestinians starting with immediately resuming funding of UNRWA