FIGO comment on the situation in Gaza and Israel
FIGO President, Prof Anne-Beatrice Kihara, comments on the current situation in Gaza and Israel stressing the need to end hostilities and ensure access to health care to everyone in need.
All people have a right to life, health and dignity. The violence and conflict in Israel and Gaza exposes women, children, the elderly and other vulnerable groups to social, gender and reproductive injustices.
Violence, conflict and forced relocation pose extreme risks to all civilians – in particular pregnant women, women who have recently delivered, newborns and children. When planning and giving birth under such conditions, the risks of maternal and infant death or injury are dramatically exacerbated.
FIGO urgently calls on all involved to end hostilities, open humanitarian corridors, provide for basic needs (food, water, energy) and ensure access to and provision of health care to all those in need. It is crucial that international humanitarian laws are respected to ensure the safety, security and life of all.
– Prof Anne-Beatrice Kihara, FIGO President