Medicide in Gaza

Medicide in this context is not used as the deliberate and systematic destruction of a particular group of people through medical means per se. This can include actions such as forced sterilizations, medical experimentation without consent, denial of essential medical care, and the intentional spread of diseases. These acts are carried out with the intent to harm or eliminate a specific population based on their ethnicity, religion, or other defining characteristics. Medicide, in this context, is a grave violation of human rights and is considered a crime against humanity.

Here we use Medicide to describe the destruction of a healthcare system as part of genocide which involves the systematic dismantling or crippling of medical infrastructure and services in a targeted region or community. This can include the bombing of hospitals, the assassination or persecution of medical professionals, and the deliberate withholding of medical supplies and resources. The aim is to weaken or eliminate the targeted group's ability to access essential healthcare, thereby exacerbating suffering and increasing mortality rates. This form of medicide not only inflicts immediate harm but also has long-term impacts on the health and survival of the affected population.