1/09/25
News
The Lancet Regional Health – Europe published a new article titled “End complicity in the Gaza famine and genocide.” .
Reflecting on the current situation in Gaza, this article calls on the humanitarian, academic, and policy communities to confront the use of starvation as a weapon of war and uphold the principles of international humanitarian law.
The authors call on European countries to “recognise the famine and the genocide in Gaza as man-made and criminal, and support the investigation of these acts as violations of international humanitarian law”.
Backstage, we asked Prof. Karl Blanchet, the lead author, a few questions.
Was there a particular moment or development that prompted you to write this commentary?
The situation in Gaza has worsened over the last few months with a death toll on civilians including children that is unprecedented, the destruction of all hospitals and the man-made famine confirmed by the United Nations.
As healthcare professionals, staying silent is not a justifiable option. We have a responsibility to speak up and denounce the genocide and the famine.
How did this group of co-authors come together? Why did you feel it was important to write this commentary collectively?
Dr Abu-Sittah and Professor Sultan Barakat, both Palestinians, have been strong voices to denounce the horror the Gazan population has been experiencing for the last few years. Dr Abu-Sittah gave the honour to deliver at University of Geneva a keynote speech in June this year on the attacks on healthcare perpetuated by the Israeli army since the start of war. Professor Barakat is affiliated to the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies and we have conducted in May this year a joint course in Doha on humanitarian health diplomacy. Both Dr Abrahim and Mr Schmid have been involved in the CHH-Lancet Commission on Health, Conflict and Forced Displacement, which I co-Chair. They are the new talents of Humanitarian health research and hearing the voice of the new generation is also essential.
What kind of impact do you hope this commentary will have in practice — on policymakers, institutions, or public debate?
Since we have published the article, a lot of people have expressed their solidarity. I simply hope that these views will be read and heard at the highest level. Being published in the Lancet Regional Health-Europe is a great opportunity as it gives great legitimacy to our perspectives.
I thank the journal for giving us space to publish such article and all the co-writers Sultan Barakat, Benjamin Schmid, Orit Abrahim and Ghassan Abu-Sittah for their unique contribution.
Questions by Irina Wavre-Saminskaya
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