Healthcare workers at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital took time out from their breaks today to call for an immediate ceasefire in Palestine and to stand in solidarity with their counterparts working in hospitals in Gaza. They called for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the attacks being perpetrated on Palestinian civilians by Israeli military forces.
They were joined in their protest by several political representatives including Deputy Ged Nash, Councillor Joanna Byrne and several local election candidates
One of the organisers of the protest, Rosie Condra, a nurse at OLOLH and a member of Siptu, Drogheda For All, and Drogheda Stands with Palestine, thanked her fellow health care workers and their unions for showing solidarity with the Health Care Workers in Gaza and throughout Palestine who have been attacked and murdered by the Israeli State aggression.
“The first provision of health care is to preserve and save life” she said. “Therefore, we must demand an immediate ceasefire now.”
She further called on the HSE, the Department of Health and Government “to immediately divest themselves of all contracts and transactions with Israel until such a time as they cease the genocide of the Palestinian people and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with the Palestinian people to achieve peace.”
“The Irish Government must do more than merely talk and should immediately recognise the Palestinian State” She said.
Nurse Kelly Calley, a member of the INMO and Drogheda Stands with Palestine said: “Health care is a human right, to withdraw the succour of health from any person is criminal, to attack health care workers is abhorrent, yet in Gaza these people are targeted by the IDF.
“We have all seen the images of burning ambulances, bombed hospitals, bloodied care givers obviously traumatised and scared. To suggest such actions are self-defence is a desecration of the bonds of humanity that connect all health care workers the world over.
“We call on our employer to honour the fundamental tenets of care and to divest completely in all contracts and arrangements with Israel and demand an immediate ceasefire.”
