USA: Doctors and priests urge Congress to act on Gaza

Source: DAG, PAG

Doctors Against Genocide (DAG) and Priests Against Genocide (PAG) have jointly sent a letter to the 150 Catholic members of the United States Congress, urging them to take immediate action to protect the Palestinian people of Gaza and the West Bank. The letter, signed by leading physicians and Catholic clergy, calls on lawmakers to end the blockade on Gaza, suspend weapons transfers to Israel, and uphold international humanitarian law - citing the catastrophic humanitarian conditions facing over two million people in Gaza.

The two organisations bring together distinct but aligned voices of conscience. Doctors Against Genocide is a US-based global coalition of healthcare workers committed to confronting genocide wherever it occurs. Priests Against Genocide is an international network of more than 2,200 clergy across 58 countries, including around 200 in the United States. Together, they represent a convergence of medical ethics and Catholic social teaching in the face of what they describe as "a genocide in slow motion."

The letter explicitly invokes the call of Pope Leo XIV, who has urged citizens to contact their congressional representatives to seek justice as the path to peace. The signatories write in that spirit, framing their appeal as both a moral and a civic obligation rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church.

"As healthcare workers, we are trained to act before death becomes inevitable. Genocide is a preventable crime, not an unavoidable tragedy. Our obligation is to protect life wherever it is threatened. Our tax dollars must save lives, not destroy them.

Medicine stands for life, humanity, and human dignity. We will not be complicit or silent." says Dr Nidal Jboor, Co-Founder, Doctors Against Genocide.

"The Gospel and the social justice vision of the Catholic Church compel us to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza and the West Bank. We are honored and deeply grateful to do so with Doctors Against Genocide."- Fr John Heagle, Priests Against Genocide - USA.

The letter calls on Catholic lawmakers to take seven specific actions:

1. End the blockade on Gaza immediately and restore full, UN-led humanitarian access, in line with orders of the International Court of Justice.

2. Suspend the transfer of weapons and military equipment to Israel, including bulldozers and high-yield munitions.

3. Guarantee freedom of movement within Gaza, removing the "yellow line" and allowing displaced civilians to return to their homes.

4. Secure the release of nearly 10,000 Palestinians held without due process, including healthcare workers and those detained under inhumane conditions.

5. Uphold international law in the West Bank by halting settlement expansion and protecting Palestinian communities, including vulnerable Christian villages.

6. Support independent investigations and accountability mechanisms for violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.

7. Commit to a just and lasting resolution that upholds the dignity, rights, and self-determination of the Palestinian people.

The letter describes the current situation in Gaza in stark terms: humanitarian aid is largely blocked, essential water and sanitation systems have been destroyed, and schools, universities, and hospitals lie in ruins. Families are confined to overcrowded tent camps where disease is widespread. The signatories state that while international attention has shifted elsewhere, Gaza's crisis continues to deepen.

The organisations note that the existing ceasefire provides no justice, no accountability, no recognition of war crimes, and no path to reparations - and call on Catholic legislators, in fidelity to their faith and their constitutional duties, to use their voices and votes to change course.