I know that a doctor should not publicly express his political views, and I have never done so in 40 years precisely to avoid the risk of any possible contamination of my doctor-patient relationships. But today, right now, I wish to take that risk. Today, right now, I feel a moral and civic duty to express my position, in the face of the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

As someone involved in scientific research, teaching, and caring for many patients, as a doctor who believes in the values of international cooperation and scientific diplomacy, I cannot remain silent in the face of the systematic devastation that has been going on for too many months, and too many years, now.

I express my unequivocal solidarity with the Palestinian people, particularly those forced to live in inhumane conditions in the Gaza Strip, including the inability to access drinking water, food, and essential goods. The severity of the suffering inflicted on the civilian population, especially children, is shocking and absolutely unacceptable.

I join the growing chorus of academic institutions, human rights organizations, international law experts, and ordinary citizens in condemning the actions of the Israeli government, which have been causing forced displacement, indiscriminate bombing, and the deaths of tens of thousands of people for months. The systematic destruction of homes, hospitals, schools, and civilian infrastructure is not only a humanitarian tragedy but, above all, a serious violation of international humanitarian law. As a physician, teacher, and researcher, I affirm the right of every person, regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or creed, to live with dignity, to have access to education and health care, and to be protected from violence. The deliberate assumption of the risk of harming innocent civilians, particularly children, as documented by international observers and authoritative journalistic sources, requires a clear and decisive moral stance, without the slightest ambiguity.

Criticism of the Israeli government’s actions cannot be confused with anti-Semitism, just as defending the rights of the Palestinian people cannot be portrayed as a threat to Israel’s legitimate right to security.

I affirm the dignity and rights of all peoples. I reject the use of historical suffering to justify present oppression.

I take a crystal clear and responsible position against what is happening in Gaza and the Palestinian Territories, recognized by numerous voices in international law as a war crime and a crime against humanity.

Silence today, now, is tantamount to complicity.