Readers respond to articles about health care in Gaza

I write to express my concern about 2 articles on health care in the Gaza Strip recently published in CMAJ. Christopher Mason’s report 1 describing the state of Gaza’s health system before and after Israel’s Operation Cast Lead — an Israeli military operation prompted by years of Palestinian rocket and mortar attacks on Israeli civilians — is misleading and incomplete. Similarly, the article by François Dumont 2 of Médecins Sans Frontières appears to blame Israel alone for the deficiencies of the health system in Gaza.

Elements were omitted from the articles that would have led readers to form different conclusions from those implied by the articles’ authors. I will mention only a few. Israel’s campaign in Gaza was a defensive response to many years of rocket bombardment of Israeli towns, supported by the Hamas administration of the territory: it was not an unprovoked invasion. Moreover, there was no mention of Hamas’ responsibility for the health and welfare of the Palestinian people in Gaza; in fact, Hamas redirected humanitarian aid that was meant for ordinary citizens and made hospitals and ambulances into targets by hiding gunmen within hospitals and terrorists within ambulances. There are also many examples of Israel’s efforts to treat Palestinians in Israeli hospitals and to facilitate aid to Gaza.

Although I appreciate that CMAJ publishes articles on global health issues, it is important to me, as a reader and former editorial board member, that the Journal does not present inaccurate, biased or one-sided views that will mislead readers. I object to the use of the pages of CMAJ to promulgate political opinion rather than to provide balanced information and education for the readership.