Parliament Prohibits Palestine Action as Medical Professionals Reveal Gaza's Suffering to Legislators
The House of Lords is due to vote on the controversial decision to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation on Thursday, a move that has sparked debate and concern among MPs and human rights activists. The vote passed by 385 votes to 26 in the Commons, following an attack at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire last month, where activists broke in and vandalised two planes.
Security minister Dan Jarvis told MPs that the attack was just the latest episode in Palestine Action's history of harmful activity, and that it had orchestrated a nationwide campaign of attacks that have resulted in serious damage to property and crossed the threshold between direct criminal action and terrorism.
However, the focus on proscribing Palestine Action has been met with criticism and concern, particularly from Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed, who hosted a briefing organised by the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians and the Labour Muslim Network (LMN). Dr James Smith, an emergency physician and lecturer in humanitarian policy and practice at UCL, and Dr Goher Rahbour, an NHS consultant and general surgeon, were among the speakers at the event.
Dr Smith completed medical missions in Gaza in January and June of 2024, while Dr Rahbour volunteered at Gaza's Nasser hospital from May to June 2025. During his time in Gaza, Dr Rahbour witnessed mass casualty events, lack of painkillers, and a woman who lost a 24-week-old fetus and the ability to have more children due to gunshot wounds. Dr Victoria Rose, an NHS surgeon, operated on more children in one month in Gaza than in 30 years of working for the NHS during her time in Gaza.
The current state of Gaza's healthcare system following Israeli bombings is extremely dire and critically under-resourced. Out of 312 operating rooms in Gaza, only 45 remain functional, most operating with extremely limited capacity. Nasser Hospital is the only fully functioning major hospital in southern Gaza, while hospitals in Gaza City function at minimal capacity, and no hospitals remain operational in northern Gaza.
The healthcare system suffers from severe shortages: 47% of essential medicines and 65% of medical supplies are completely out of stock, gravely affecting treatment for cancer, heart patients, and others requiring continuous care. Most of Gaza’s UNRWA-run health centers have closed, with only 5 out of 22 still operating as of mid-June 2025.
The few functioning medical facilities are overwhelmed and running dangerously low on essentials like fuel and body bags, severely impacting their ability to treat the wounded and manage the deceased with dignity. Repeated evacuation orders and displacements caused by the conflict hamper patients’ and medical staff’s access to healthcare and overstretch the remaining healthcare centers outside evacuation zones.
Humanitarian aid distribution has been disrupted, with reports of patients dying from injuries before reaching hospitals due to the scarcity of medical care. Aid delivery and a sustained ceasefire are urgently needed to address the overwhelming humanitarian crisis. Since the conflict began in October 2023, over 57,000 Palestinians have been killed and 134,000 injured, many requiring medical attention under conditions of extreme scarcity.
Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed expressed her concern about the focus on proscribing Palestine Action, stating that what they should be focusing on is pushing for an end to the violence in Palestine, and that this is what Palestinians need to see. Dr James Smith echoed this sentiment, expressing concern about the focus on proscribing Palestine Action, stating that if MPs don't have the power, then what's left? He questioned what's left at this point.
The vote to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation has sparked debate and concern, with many questioning whether this is the right move at a time when the healthcare infrastructure in Gaza is in crisis and the focus should be on ending the violence and providing humanitarian aid to those in need.
- Amidst the escalating crisis in Gaza's healthcare system, where essential medicines and supplies are scarce, and many facilities are operating at minimal or non-existent capacity, Dr James Smith, a lecturer in humanitarian policy and practice, expressed concern about the focus on proscribing Palestine Action as a terrorist organization.
- As the House of Lords prepares to vote on the controversial proscription of Palestine Action, Dr Goher Rahbour, an NHS consultant and general surgeon, who witnessed the dire state of Gaza's healthcare system during his volunteer work, questioned what's left for MPs to do if they lack the power to end the violence in Palestine and provide essential humanitarian aid.
