An Urgent Call to End the Imposed Famine in Gaza:

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The Issue

An Urgent Call to End the Imposed Famine in Gaza: 

To the Conscience of Humanity, to every soul capable of empathy, and to all who still cling to the belief in the sanctity of life,

We, the undersigned ethicists, human rights advocates, physicians and believers in the inherent dignity and fundamental rights of every human being, from every corner of the globe, issue this persistent, desperate, and crucial appeal to confront the catastrophic and intentionally imposed famine unremittingly consuming Gaza.

The world is not simply observing, but it is a real-time witness to the horrific display of mass, slow, and agonizing death by starvation and thirst. We can all see the silent screams of hunger, the parched throats and the fading breaths of fellow humans. Thousands of civilians, including children, newborns, the elderly, and the sick- are dying by the second. This is not a cruel act of nature; it is a man-made catastrophe, a direct and undeniable consequence of policies that systematically prevent the entry of life-saving food, potable water, and critical medical supplies. It is structured violence by famine.

The deliberate denial of food and medicine to the civilian population of Gaza has transformed them into instruments of war or political leverage. This constitutes a grave and blatant violation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and the most basic tenets of human rights. The current reality, where a population is systematically deprived of sustenance and their cries ignored, while aid sits idly by, blocked and denied, represents an unparalleled moral failure that challenges our collective conscience. We hold everyone who can make a change and does not accountable and partner in this man-made catastrophe. 

This letter is a fierce, unequivocal, and desperate demand for the immediate cessation of these actions. We insist upon the unconditional and unimpeded access of humanitarian aid—food, water, medical supplies, and fuel—to every corner of Gaza. 

Those responsible for the blocking of this aid (by commission and/or omission) are accountable for the death by imposed famine. The international community has a solemn, urgent obligation to ensure accountability. Their actions will forever be judged by the unforgiving gaze of history.

To stand by in silence, to avert our gaze, or to offer mere hollow platitudes while the people of Gaza starve is not simply inaction; silence is also collusion, and it is complicity in a crisis of immense, devastating proportion. As Dante famously wrote, "The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of moral crisis." To acknowledge this unfolding tragedy yet fail to ensure the urgent, massive delivery of life-saving assistance and, most importantly, the stopping of this unprecedented necropolitical famine, is a profound betrayal of our shared humanity. 

We call upon all politicians, councils, parliaments, and every entity with the power to act on the ground to stand unequivocally for human rights, and by doing so, to restore a long-lost imprint of humanism upon the annals of our time. We request them to recognize their urgent moral and legal imperative and to take immediate, concrete, and forceful steps to end the imposed famine in Gaza. Failing to do so will mark us all forever as accomplices in death by famine.

The time for deliberation and ineffective condemnatory words is over. The time for decisive action is NOW.

We write this letter not only to request you to halt these atrocities, for this is a just cause, but also to remain faithful to the very principles we (and you) claim to embody: as ethicists, as human rights activists, as humanitarians, and as believers in the inherent dignity of all people. Standing up for them is not an act of kindness or compassion, but a moral obligation and duty. Not doing so will tarnish us forever, and history will speak about us as being complicit in this profound human tragedy.

Sincerely,

 

1.     Thalia Arawi, PhD. Professor of Bioethics, Beirut-Lebanon

2.     Ghaiath Hussein, Assistant Professor in Medical Ethics and Law, University of Dublin, Ireland.

3.     Francis P. Crawley, Executive Director, Good Clinical2 Practice Alliance - Europe (GCPA) & Strategic Initiative for Developing Capacity in Ethical Review (SIDCER)

4.     Alexander M. Capron, University Professor Emeritus, University of Southern California

5.     Monica Lechea, Research Development Officer, Dublin City University 

6.     Nagi Souaiby, MD, MPH, Forensic and Emergency Medicine, USJ, Lebanon 

7.     Claire A. Richards, RN, PhD, Assistant Professor of Nursing, United States. 

8.     Marcos Roberto Tovani-Palone, PhD, Brazil

9.     Stanislav Birko, McGill University, Canada

10.  Seba Qussini, PhD student, KU Leuven, Belgium

11.  Abbas Abel Anzaku, Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria; Global Health and Infectious Diseases Control Institute, Nasarawa State University Keffi, Nigeria

12.  Tina Gianoulis, Kitsap Palestine Solidarity Coalition, Indianola, WA, United States.

13.  Miriam Piven Cotler, PhD, Redondo Beach professor emeritus CSUN, Clinical Ethicist 

14.  Mahmoud al-Zahar, PhD, Cairo University

15.  Khalil al-Hayya, PhD, University of Jordan

16.  Musaddiq Ali, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

17.  Sara Casati, Bioethicist, National Research Council, BBMRI.it ELSI Coordinator, Italy

18.  Dr Vina Vaswani, Bioethicist, Director Centre for . Pas

19.  Ethics Yenepoya (Deemed to be University) Mangalore India.

20.  Leah Leicester, Kitsap Palestine Solidarity Coalition, Bainbridge Island, Wa, United States.

21.  Rev.Fr.Dr. Pascal Mwakio, Faculty Bioethics Training Initiative, Kenya

22.  Sami al-Oraydi, MA, PhD, Hadith Studies, University of Jordan

23.  Zann Jacobrown, Rabbinic teacher, Pardess Jewish Community. Washington, United States

24.  Vidit Panchal, MBBS, DFM, MPH, Community Health Physician, Basic Healthcare Services, Rajasthan, India 

25.  Rosemarie de la Cruz Bernabe, PhD, Professor of Research Ethics and Research Integrity, Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Norway

26.  Maide Barış, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medical History and Ethics, Marmara University, Türkiye.

27.  Wadad Hoss, President, Hoss Foundation for Humanism, Lebanon

28.  Rawia Awadallah, PhD, Assistant Professor in Computer Science, Islamic University of Gaza, Palestine.

29.  Susanne van den Hooff. PhD, University of Humanistic Studies, The Netherlands

30.  David Bruno, Registered Nurse. University Hospital of Bristol and Weston

31.  Steven Martin, Senior Research Fellow, Britain.

32.  Mahfouz Ould al-Walid, PhD, Institute of Islamic Studies, Afghanistan

33.  Per Nortvedt, professor emeritus University of Oslo

34.  Elianna DeSota, Codirector, SciOS, United States

35.  Frédérique Vallières, PhD, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland

36.  Artee Wankar, M.S.W., Executive Director, UMPES and Assessor, National Academy of RUDSETI, MoRD, Chhattisgarh, India.

37.  Aasim I. Padela MD MSc, Initiative on Islam and Medicine, United States

38.  Hammaad Mughal, Entrepreneur, Mypraisebeads, Manchester UK

39.  Delphine Noels, filmmaker, cinema professor, Brussels Belgium

40.  Ghassan AL ZAATITI Docteur de Médecine  Chirurgie et Accouchements. Chirugien- Professeur de Médecine et Chirurgie à la retraite Belgique et Liban.

41.  Ghena Ismail, PhD  Assistant Professor, Beirut Lebanon

42.  Professor Nur Masalha, SOAS, University of London

43.  Pascale Vielle, Professor at UCLouvain Belgium

44.  Sihom Fabiola, Administrative assistant University of Dschang, Cameroon 

45.  Bogdan Zamfir, actor, writer, theater director, Brussels, Belgium

46.  Arlette Grötsch, astrophysicist, ULG liege Belgium

47.  Nicolas Grevesse, astrophysicist, ULG liege Belgium

48.  Dr Ahmed Almoghrabi, head of plastic & burnt department at Nasser Hospital, khan Younes Gaza

49.  Dina A. Sorour, RPh, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States

50.  Victoria Ekstrom, MD. Singapore General Hospital

51.  Khaled J. Hammad, Professor, Central Connecticut State University, United States

52.  Suzanne Nobel, master’s student Middle East Studies, American University in Cairo

53.  Mirjam Blekkenhorst, Ytra Lón Farm &  Retreat, Iceland

54.  Gustaaf Bos, PhD, University of Humanistic Studies, Netherlands

55.  Linda Belanger, Human Rights Activist and author, Ottawa, Canada

56.  Lisa Kearns, MS, MA, bioethicist, New York City

57.  Jo Walter, Little Sprouts Preschool, Bremerton, Wa, United States

58.  Nyla Matuk, author, Montreal, Canada

59.  Rabie Barakat, Lecturer in Media Studies, American University of Beirut

60.  Naheeda Hamza, PhD Fellow, Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Norway

61.  Jan Helge Solbakk, MD, ThM, PhD (ancient Greek philosophy), Professor Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Norway.

62.  Marwan Saleh, father and software PM, United States

63.  Abdullah Hattab, MPH,PhD Professor of Public Health Aden University, Yemen.

64.  Bert Molewijk, prof.dr. ethics support, Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Norway & dep. Ethics, Law & Humanities, Amsterdam UMC & VU university, the Netherlands.

65.  Fikile Muriel Mnisi, PhD, Khaca (Pty) Ltd, Independent Bio-ethicist. 

66.  Issam Shaarani, MD, MSc, Assistant Professor of Family Medicine, Beirut Arab University- Lebanon

67.  Kristine Bærøe, Professor, Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo

68.  Bahaa Darwish, professor of philosophy, Minia University, Egypt .

69.  Reidar Pedersen, Professor, Centre for Medical Ethics, Head of Research, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Norway

70.  Maria Romøren, Associate professor, Department of general practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Norway

71.  Hege Hermansen, professor, OsloMet 

72.  Hilde Aaneland, M.Phil., Centre for Medical Ethics, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Norway.

73.  Siri Færden Westbye, MD, MA Sociology, PhD fellow, Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Norway.

74.  Bushra Ishaq, MD, PhD, Centre for Medical Ethics, Postdoctoral Fellow,  University of Oslo, Norway.

75.  Esperanza Diaz, Pandemic Centre, University of Bergen, Norway

76.  Hanne Ochieng Lichtwarck, Department of Community Medicine and Global Health, University of Oslo

77.  Monica Cheng Munthe-Kaas, MD PhD, Pediatric Department Oslo University Hospital, Norway

78.  Juulia Zhou, PhD Candidate, Centre for Medical Ethics, University of Oslo, Norway

79.  Ida Katrine Knapstad, MD, PhD candidate, Pediatric Department Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway

80.  Suzan Noble, Jordan

81.  Fadwa Attiga, Saudi Arabia

82.  Bahaa Darwish, PhD, Egypt.

83.  Mazen Fakih, MD, Lebanon

84.  Joe Dsowell, UK

85.  Anne Irfan, Associate Professor, United Kigndom

86.  Ismail Laher, Professor, Candada

87.  Una Rose, Professor, Canada

88.  Cheryl Qamar, United States

89.  Maria B, United States

90.  Wakeele Kasali, Canda

91.  Abdulkarim Almakadma, MD, Canada

92.  Mona Nsouli, Lebanon

93.  Shalpha Aslam, Canada

94.  Daniela Haarhaus, Spain

95.  Stephen Benson, United States

96.  Osama Issa, Saudi Arabia

97.  Rachel Gundel, United States

98.  Heather Krueger, United States

99.  Diana Merenda, United States

100.                 Ahmad Saleh, Jordan

101.                 Nada Sallam, Egypt

102.                 Mohammad Hussein, Egypt

103.                 Arthur Caplan, PhD Professor of Bioethics, United States

104.                 Jana Jabbour, PhD, Lebanon

105.                 Rana Issa, Jordan

106.                 Margie Lutz, United States

107.                 Azlan Ahmad, United States

108.                 Hadeel Issa, Saudi Arabia

109.                 Khaled Yousef, Saudi Arabia

110.                 Layal Bou Harfouch, United States

111.                 Omar Hahad, Germany

112.                 Layth Yahya, Canada

113.                 Zohar Lederman, Switzerland

114.                 Mohammad Shouman, Lebanon

115.                 Asma Al Haj Issa, Saudi Arabia

116.                 Nahla Osseiran, Austria

117.                 Ghassan Kanj, MD. United States

118.                 Rona Abba, United States

119.                 Gus Kan, United States

120.                 Abdel-Rahman Ayas, PhD, Lebanon

121.                 Bakri Abdule Motaleb, Lebanon

122.                 Dean Mur, Lebanon

123.                 Hassana Shouman, Lebanon

124.                 Abdulla Al Qasim, Bahrain

125.                 Ahmad Soueissi, Lebanon

126.                 Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD Director Cytogenetic Services & Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability, Palestine

127.                 Tarek Abdelmageed Tantawy, Saudi Arabia

128.                 Nadia Naser-Najjab, UK 

129.                 Amadou Jallow, Sweden 

130.                 Karam Karam, MD, Beirut- Lebanon 

131.                 Noorsalwati Nordin, Netherland 

132.                 Tarek Hammam, Beirut-Lebanon

133.                 Yashmin Khan, United States

134.                 Daphne van Herp, Netherland 

135.                 Ahmed Kayyum, United Kingdom 

136.                 Laurel Kyte-Buxton, United Kingdom

137.                 Robin Millar, United Kingdom

138.                 Melecio Turao, Philippines

139.                 Shez Azr, United Kigndom

140.                 Kirsty Marshall, Australia

141.                 Oren Eden, United States

142.                 SHARON MENGERSEN, Asutralia

143.                 Nanik Handayani, Indonesia

144.                 Nabil Zakkak, Lebanon

145.                 Johny Ashkar, Lebanon

146.                 Amal Ali Delgado, Spain

147.                 Shan Salman Ibrahim Butt, Norway

148.                 MohammedAslam Holi, India

149.                 Anthony Nasrallah      Lebanon          5/31/2025

150.                 Ed Saba           Germany         5/31/2025

151.                 Yasser Abujamei. MD Gaza Community Mental Health Program. Italy 

152.                 Elvis Galesi     United States   

153.                 Ahmed Alqasim          Bahrain           

154.                 Lena Kundel   Germany         

155.                 Zaher Abdul hay         Lebanon          

156.                 San Deeb         Canada             

157.                 Bob Sabra       Lebanon          

158.                 ASIF KHAN   United Kingdom         

159.                 Maureen Wright         United Kingdom         

160.                 Kevin Brassaw            United States   

161.                 Dr. Hasan Al-Omran  Jordan 

162.                 Noah Fakhry   Lebanon          

163.                 Michael Mulvany       Denmark         

 

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