Cork health workers join city protest at 'hellish conditions' in Gaza  

Cork nurses and others working in hospitals and clinics joined up to a 1,000 marchers during a protest in the city on Saturday afternoon, declaring that health workers should not be a target in the ongoing onslaught by Israeli forces on hospitals and other civilian targets in Gaza.

The march came a day after the International Court of Justice in the Hague ruled that there was ‘a plausible case’ that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and as the latest count of medical staff who had lost their lives in the embattled enclave was put at ‘at least 403’.

Health workers in Cork told of their devastation about what they described as the ‘hellish conditions’ that patients and their medical colleagues in Gaza were being subjected to following a number of attacks by Israeli forces which left hospitals destroyed. They also expressed their opposition to the blocking by Israel of the supply of medicine, food and other materials.

Anne O’Flynn, a Cork based mental health nurse, said health workers had fought against covid and would now ‘fight for Palestine’.

“The head of the World Health Organisation cried yesterday - he just said he had no words for the situation,” said Ms O'Flynn.

“I’m marching today to call on the Irish Government to listen to healthcare workers and take action.” 

Cork doctor, Katie Boyle, said that she was marching for an immediate ceasefire. 

“Healthcare workers are not a target,” said Dr Boyle. “At least 403 healthcare workers have been killed so far and likely more.” 

Cora O’Flynn, a community healthcare nurse, called on the Irish Government to ‘up its game’ against what she described as ‘Israel’s horrific actions’. 

“Health infrastructure has been deliberately targeted for destruction,” said Ms O'Flynn. 

 “Ambulances, hospitals, patients and medics are all under attack. I’m appealing to the Irish Government, and to Leo Varadkar, a medic himself, to start taking much more concrete action to stand against Israel and its allies like the United States".

“Supporting South Africa’s ICJ case, passing the Occupied Territories Bill and cancelling St Patrick’s Day visits to Washington would be good first steps to take.” 

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that consideration was being given at present to joining the South African case against Israel at the ICJ.

In Friday’s ruling, Israel has a month within which to respond to a demand from the court on the measures its forces are taking to prevent genocide, and to avoid the targeting of civilians and medical staff.

A further march to highlight the risks faced by healthcare workers in Gaza is to be held at the gates of Cork University Hospital on February 9.