40th week of Palestine protests as Lancet estimates Gaza death toll at 186,000

July 15, 2024

Issue

Protesters marked 40 weeks of consecutive protests demanding Labor end its support for Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza over July 13–14.

The protests called attention to a study published by medical journal The Lancet, which found that the death toll in Gaza is likely close to 186,000 people.

It said that while the official death toll was almost 38,000 people — mostly women and children — according to the Gaza Health Ministry, “collecting data is becoming increasingly difficult” due to the destruction of infrastructure.

It pointed to United Nations estimates which suggest that 35% of buildings in Gaza had been destroyed by the end of February, leaving an estimated 10,000 people still buried under the rubble.

In addition, “armed conflicts have indirect health implications beyond the direct harm from violence”, it said.

Including deaths from reproductive, communicable and non-communicable diseases, severe food and water shortages, destroyed healthcare infrastructure and the loss of funding to aid organisations such as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

“In recent conflicts, such indirect deaths range from three to 15 times the number of direct deaths.

“Applying a conservative estimate of four indirect deaths per one direct death to the 37,396 deaths reported, it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186,000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza.”

The report called for an immediate ceasefire, urgent distribution of medical aid, food and water and efforts to “record the scale and nature of suffering in this conflict.”

In response, healthcare workers across Australia called a Code Blue national day of action on July 12, invoking the hospital emergency code to emphasise the critical situation in Gaza.

The action was a response to the intentional killing of healthcare workers in Gaza and the bombings of hospitals and ambulances.

Australian Health Workers for Palestine said: “To date, there are no fully functioning hospitals remaining in Gaza, at least 541 healthcare workers have been killed and 259 have been unlawfully detained by the Israeli military…

“Australian Health Workers for Palestine argue that Israel’s attacks have deliberately targeted Gaza’s health workers and health infrastructure to advance its genocide.”

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Healthcare workers organised a vigil outside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's electorate office in Marrickville. Photo: Nuses and Midwives for Palestine

Paula Sanchez reports that in Gadigal Country/Sydney, healthcare workers held a vigil at the 24/7 picket outside Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s electorate office in Marrickville.

“Our inherent responsibility to care for other people doesn’t end when we clock off on our shift. Being a healthcare worker is not just a job, it is a devotion to humanity,” said psychiatric doctor Muntaser Mahmud.

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'Healthcare workers and hospitals are not a target!'. Photo: Nurses and Midwives for Palestine

More than 50 people attended the vigil, which also heard from a nurse who has recently returned from a Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association aid mission to Gaza.

A huge banner with the names of thousands of children killed in the genocide was held. It read: “They had dreams, hopes and lives … These are the names of less than half the children murdered at your hands.”

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'Fund healthcare not warfare' was the theme of the Naarm/Melbourne vigil. Photo: Chloe DS

Chloe DS reports that healthcare workers in Naarm/Melbourne held a protest outside the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital as part of the national day of action.

“Fund healthcare not warfare” was the theme, and the rally was supported by Unionists for Palestine and other pro-Palestine groups.

Disability workers, nurses, doctors and medical students spoke in solidarity with healthcare workers in Gaza, who are risking their lives.

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Naarm/Melbourne. Photo: Chloe DS

Ola Aladassi, a medical scientist in histopathology and cytology from Gaza, told the crowd of the countless friends and family she has lost. “I was just working with them just a few months ago, and now I'm seeing their lifeless bodies in the media.

“Most have been killed in front of their patients,” she said, explaining how many healthcare workers stayed with their patients after Israeli soldiers demanded they leave the hospitals.

She told 91��̳ she left Gaza just two weeks before the genocidal bombing campaign began.

“Despite the siege, Gaza was a beautiful city, we built schools, hospitals and cafes, all under mass repression of the Israel state. Now it has all been destroyed."

Another doctor told GL that they plan to keep organising protests and encouraged people to march with the healthcare workers contingent at the weekend rallies.

A minute of silence and prayer was held for the hundreds of healthcare workers who have been killed.

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Outside foreign minister Penny Wong's office. Photo: Jordan Ellis

Jordan Ellis reports that the Code Blue action in Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide was held outside Foreign Affairs minister Penny Wong’s office.

Speakers read out the names of the more than 500 healthcare workers killed by Israel since October. This equates to two healthcare workers killed every day.

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Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide. Photo: Jordan Ellis

Vigils were also held by healthcare workers in Boorloo/Perth, Garramilla/Darwin ��Ի��Mparntwe/Alice Springs and similar protests were held by healthcare workers around the world.

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Healthcare workers vigil in Boorloo/Perth. Photo: Boorloo Perth Pally Posters

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The 40th consecutive weekly Palestine protest in Gadigal Country/Sydney. Photo: Peter Boyle

Peter Boyle reports that the weekend rally in Gadigal Country was passionate and energetic, as protesters held up red-dyed hands to highlight the Lancet’s revised estimate of the number of dead.

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Naarm/Melbourne. Photo: Jordan AK

Chloe DS reports that prominent Palestinian activist Hash Tayeh, owner a burger chain that was targeted by arsonists in a suspected anti-Palestinian hate crime, told the ��/�ѱ��ǳܰ��Ա��rally that Victoria Police had informed him that he will be arrested for “inciting hatred”.

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Palestinian activist and Burgertory owner Hash Tayeh addresses the rally. Photo: Chloe DS

In an open letter, he said the Palestine solidarity movement was being targeted with “oppression, repression and silencing tactics”.

Tayeh told the rally: “I promise you brothers and sisters, I will not back down, I will not surrender until Palestine is free!”

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Protesters gathered outside a Labor fundraiser dinner in Magan-djin/Brisbane. Photo: Alex Bainbridge

Alex Bainbridge reports that hundreds turned out to a protest outside a Labor “True Belivers” function in Magan-djin/Brisbane on July 12 where Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Queensland Premier Steven Miles were the guests.

Phil Monsour from Justice for Palestine Magan-djin told the rally that it was right that patrons attending the event had to do a “walk of shame”. He said Labor had tried to shame Senator Fatima Payman for taking a stand against genocide.

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'Blood is on your hands'. Magan-djin/Brisbane. Photo: Alex Bainbridge

Members of the Palestinian community spoke about the loss of family members in the genocide that Labor has actively supported.

One person called on the crowd to chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” loudly so Albanese could hear it.

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Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide. Photo: Jordan Ellis

Jordan Ellis reports that the July 14 rally in Kaurna Yerta/Adelaide took place after Israel bombed al-Mawasi camp — a designated “safe zone” — killing at least 90 people and wounding 300 more.

Speakers pointed out that while displaced people living in tents are being bombed, with reports of body parts being strewn across the ground, the Albanese government has appointed a special envoy to combat antisemitism in an effort to conflate antisemitism and anti-Zionism.