Over 700 doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals across Tuscany, Italy, have launched a symbolic hunger strike to protest what they call the genocide and deliberate starvation of Palestinians in Gaza.
As reported by Corriere Fiorentino, the protest began Tuesday and involves a rolling fast—medical staff taking turns skipping lunch during work breaks across more than 40 hospitals and medical centres in the region.
Healthcare workers have displayed placards denouncing Israel’s military campaign, calling it systematic genocide and enforced starvation. Many shared photos outside their workplaces, urging international action.
Organisers stated, “We cannot remain silent in the face of Gaza’s tragedy. After 21 months of war and over 60,000 deaths—many children—people are now dying of hunger.” They accused Israel of deliberately blocking humanitarian aid, with supply trucks stranded at closed Gaza crossings.
The protest aligns with broader human rights mobilisations across Italy, opposing European governments’ support for Israel. Organisers stressed that the medical community has a moral obligation to speak up against such suffering.
Despite a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal being brokered with Hamas, Israel has not implemented it since March 2, further worsening Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
The protest is expected to grow in the coming weeks.
