'It's an attack on health care': Medical community rallies against Israel-Hamas war, calls for ceasefire

Dozens of protesters gathered in downtown Edmonton to denounce the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and the devastation of the health-care system in Gaza.

The demonstration was organized by the Health Workers Alliance for Palestine. It was part of global protests by the medical community calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

"It's particularly important for health-care workers to speak up not only as humans, but as health-care workers," Edmonton physician Dr. Dalal Awwad said. "It's our responsibility to speak about the root causes of health inequities worldwide."

More than 18,600 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza's health ministry, and nearly 1.9 million have been driven from their homes.

As a result of the war and Israel's blockade of Gaza, health care in the territory has collapsed in many regions and aid workers have warned about starvation and the spread of disease in the region.

Out of Gaza's 36 hospitals, only 12 remain partially operational.

"It's not a war. This is an attack against innocent civilians and it's an attack on health-care systems," Awwad said.

A November open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau by the Health Care Workers Alliance for Palestine, calling for a ceasefire among other things, received more than 3,500 signatures.

"It is our responsibility as health-care professionals to stand together and to stand with people who are being killed," Awwad said. "This should not be something that's controversial."

Edmonton nurse Alison Cornn was at the rally to show her solidarity with the Palestinian community.

"It's hard to think of that if I was in Gaza right now, I might be either dead or working in extreme harsh conditions with no sanitary or supplies," Corn said.

"As a medical professional who provides care and help to anyone, any type of human, it's just really hard," she said. "We really empathize with them."

On Tuesday, the U.N General Assembly voted to demand a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, with 153 of the 193 members in favour.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday that Israel remains "committed as ever" to the war until the hostages are returned and Hamas has been destroyed.

With files from the Associated Press