Canada has moral and legal obligation to accept medical refugees from Gaza say Canadian physicians

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UOSSM Canada

Dec 02, 2025, 17:54 ET

Zoom Link: 

https://events.zoom.us/ej/AlPn8BJ8Q4_CUbS1K_zbB-vyOOIrc8lSzhk82V_7ha-z3Qi-mCwL~A9Y8Dn3FODwXgQ8P-iRRROratxciFTxSU-RW5dDYPFOqimN0MB-TfHQmxH5rw

Meeting ID: 839 1404 4685

Passcode: 562448

Date: Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025

Time: 10:30 AM EST

Virtual Press Conference: Urgent Call for Canada to Accept Medical Evacuees from Gaza

TORONTO, Dec. 2, 2025 /CNW/ - The Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) Canada today issued an urgent call for the Government of Canada to fulfill its international humanitarian and legal obligations by immediately opening its doors to medical evacuees from Gaza who are in need of urgent care after more than two years of ongoing genocide that has destroyed the enclaves health care system.

According to Geneva-based NGO Euromed Human Rights Monitor, since October 2023 more than 75,000 Palestinians were killed and injured almost 174,000 as of early November, and has obliterated the Gaza's health care infrastructure.  Among the Palestinian dead and injured 30 percent are children and 20 percent are women.  The injured include infant trauma victims and pregnant women without access to life-saving treatment.

"The health system in Gaza has been completely destroyed and the so-called ceasefire has done nothing to halt Israeli attacks," said Dr. Aliya Khan, UOSSM Canada Board Member. "Canada must live up to its commitments under international humanitarian law and refugee conventions by accepting these medical refugees. Inaction condemns thousands to avoidable death and lifelong suffering, and would make a lie of Canada's claims to be a defender of the 'international rule of law'."

"Children in Gaza have been disproportionately affected by Israel's assault on Gaza. The targeting of hospitals and blocking of aid has decimated hospitals, leaving children to suffer from injuries that would be curable if outside Gaza. It's not just humane to accept children from Gaza, it should be a moral imperative." Said Dr. Ben Thomson, Glia medical consultant and creator of kidney cap.

"UOSSM stands ready to work with Palestinian organizations in rebuilding the health service, which has been targeted and destroyed. We call on the Government of Canada to fulfil its moral responsibilities by providing humanitarian aid through international organizations that have experience in centring Palestinian decision making." Said Dr. Catherine Clase, Co-Founder of Doctors for Humanity.

UOSSM Canada is urgently calling on the Mark Carney government to open the country's doors to medical evacuees from Gaza, including trauma patients, surgical cases, chronic illness patients, children, and pregnant women requiring specialized care. The government must also expedite approval of medical evacuation visas and permits, including for accompanying family members, as well as provide coordinated support for transport, resettlement, treatment, and follow-up care within Canada, while collaborating with the United Nations, NGOs, international agencies, and health authorities to establish safe transit and medical referral pathways.

Catastrophic Health Crisis in Gaza

"All one has to do is look at the images coming out of Gaza to see that its healthcare system is in freefall due to Israel's relentless and indiscriminate bombardment, siege, and destruction," said Khan. "Only a small fraction of health care facilities remain partially operational, with critical-care and surgical departments shut down or at minimal capacity."

According to the World Health Organization, tens of thousands of Palestinians are in urgent need of evacuation for specialized treatment unavailable in Gaza, with nearly 42,000 people suffering life-changing injuries--amputations, spinal damage, severe trauma--requiring advanced surgery and long-term rehabilitation. Essential medicines and supplies are depleted, creating a massive backlog of unmet needs where each delay in evacuation means life or death for these genocide victims.

"Every day without action, we lose more lives that could be saved here in Canada," said UOSSM Canada Board Member Dr. Amgad Elsherif. "These are not just numbers--they are fathers, mothers, and children, people whose lives have been shattered over the past two years, begging for a chance to survive."

Canada Must Act Now

Canada has a history of humanitarian leadership in global crises and conflicts and this is no different and demands action. Accepting Gaza's medical refugees will deliver life-saving care to those facing death or irreversible disability. By taking action Canada will affirm its commitment to human rights, compassion, and global responsibility under the treaties and conventions to which it is a signatory. It will also ease the unbearable strain on humanitarian aid efforts in a war zone. The human cost of delay is devastating--more child amputees, the elderly dying from kidney failure without dialysis, women losing pregnancies, and families shattered by repeated trauma.

"UOSSM Canada stands ready and fully prepared to partner with federal and provincial health authorities, hospitals, and medical facilities to launch this humanitarian mission," according to Dr. Anas AlKassem, UOSSM Canada Board Member. "With established infrastructure, WHO partnerships, and expertise in evacuation, treatment, rehabilitation, and psychosocial support, we stand ready to ensure seamless care and integration for evacuees. Canada has the capacity and should take on this life-saving mission. After two years of genocide it's time for this nation to lead as it has historically, and honour its legal and moral duties under international law."

Website: https://www.uossm-canada.org/

About UOSSM Canada
UOSSM Canada is an independent, nonprofit medical relief organization delivering international humanitarian and medical aid to those affected by emergencies, conflict, and natural disasters. As part of UOSSM International, we collaborate with partner offices in France, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Turkey--forming a united front to ensure healthcare access for all who need it.

Our Canadian office is governed by a National Board of Directors and supported by a dedicated network of physicians, healthcare professionals, and humanitarian experts. Since 2012, UOSSM has provided medical relief in some of the world's most challenging environments, grounded in ethics, impartiality, and compassion.

References:

SIgned by:
     1) UOSSM Canada
     2) Doctors For Humanity
     3) Eyewitness Gaza

SOURCE UOSSM Canada

For more information or interviews, Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations - Canada (UOSSM Canada), Email:contact: [email protected]

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