Advocates Hold Vigil for Health Care Workers in Gaza

About sixty protesters gathered at the Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria, in remembrance of health care workers who fell in the line of duty in Gaza and in support of those who keep fighting against all odds while exposed to the Israel Defence Forces’ raining bombs and hails of bullets.

While the organisers invited participants to bring candles, the weather didn’t cooperate, such that strong winds prevented the attendance from making it a candlelight vigil as intended.

If only this were the worst doctors in Gaza had to complain about. In contrast, they are reduced to performing surgery on patients without anesthetics and treating wounds without supplies or even clean water, using cell phones as flashlights—while being shelled day and night. To speak nothing of the difficulties of delivering babies without proper obstetrics, magnifying the incidence of stillbirths and infections.

Speakers then took turns enumerating a litany of health care workers who fell on the line of duty since October—hundreds of them. The outrage online is such that it gave rise to a hash tag: #notatarget.

Another such action has been announced for next Friday, although it may not be at the same location. Keep an eye on Instagram for announcements.