“Hamas, like ISIS, was the perpetrator of a genocidal massacre on October 7”: say Israeli Doctors in response to viewpoint published by JAMA.
Israeli researchers from the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center issued a pointed rebuttal to the esteemed medical journal JAMA regarding a recent viewpoint piece titled “Wars in Gaza and Beyond” penned by researchers from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., USA. The Israeli doctors strongly rebutted the accusations that Israel’s “disproportionate response” violates international law and that “the events of October 7th “catalyzed” the outbreak of the conflict, implying that Hamas was not the sole instigator of the atrocities committed on October 7.
The Journal JAMA published a sharp letter written by Professors Elihu D. Richter MD, Elliot M. Berry MD, and Avraham I. Rivkind MD from the Faculty of Medicine at the Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical Center in response to a viewpoint “Wars in Gaza and Beyond” published by the Journal. They reiterated Israel’s unwavering commitment to international law in all its operations in Gaza, contrasting it with the actions of the terrorist organisation, which blatantly violates international law. The letter noted that, “There is ever more information that Hamas uses many hospitals as shields, terror bases and ammunition depots.”
The Israeli doctors wrote that “Hamas, like ISIS, was the perpetrator of a genocidal massacre on 7th October, including tying up children and shooting them in the head and weaponising sexual violence. Hamas’ charter calls for the elimination of Israelis and Jewish people”, contravening international law which unequivocally prohibits genocide. The Hamas terrorist’s actions align with their charter’s call for the extermination of Israelis.
Regarding the cause of the war, the doctors emphasised their objection to the term “catalysed,” which implies that Hamas does not bear sole responsibility for the massacre on 7th October. Furthermore, the doctors echoed the prevalent criticism towards the Red Cross and the United Nations Organisations concerning the abductions and abductees still held in Gaza. They highlighted the failure to respond to the years of “Hamas’ cradle-to-grave antisemitic indoctrination and incitement” with “motifs of genocide”, as well as the “shameful failure” of these organizations to gain access to the hostages held in Gaza, or to provide them with necessary medication. The Red Cross and the UN stand as witnesses to the international community’s inability to uphold even the most fundamental standards they espouse. The authors stress that “Israel has done its best in a situation where there are no clear demarcations between civilians and combatants while attempting to root out evil”.