In a powerful and emotional plea, a group of 45 American physicians and nurses who volunteered in hospitals across Gaza have sent an open letter to US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, sharing their first-hand experiences and calling for an immediate ceasefire and arms embargo. The group unanimously described treating pre-teen children who suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest, which they believed were deliberately inflicted.

The letter, spearheaded by Dr. Feroze Sidwa and posted on X, highlights the group's backgrounds in public health and their previous experiences volunteering in conflict zones such as Ukraine and Iraq. They believe they are well positioned to comment on the massive human toll of Israel's attack on Gaza, particularly on women and children.

The letter's signatories call on the Biden administration to participate in an arms embargo of both Israel and all Palestinian armed groups. They also demand the withholding of military, diplomatic, and economic support to Israel until a permanent and immediate ceasefire is achieved. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment.

This letter comes at a critical time for the White House, as it urges Israeli leaders to accept a ceasefire agreement. President Biden, who recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is expected to be forceful in pushing for a deal. The American medical workers stress that their government has an obligation under American law and International Humanitarian Law to take action.

Dr. Adam Hamawy, a US plastic surgeon and former US Army combat trauma surgeon, emphasized the importance of their voices as witnesses to the devastation in Gaza. He noted that there are no independent monitors in Gaza, and the firsthand accounts provided by physicians are vital. Hamawy worked at a Gaza hospital, where he performed numerous reconstructive surgeries and treated predominantly children under 14 years old.

Hamawy shared horrifying stories, including a male teenager with a gunshot wound to the face, presumably from an M16 or sniper rifle. He also mentioned a little boy who unknowingly picked up an unexploded cluster bomb, resulting in the loss of his limbs. Similarly, Dr. Mark Perlmutter, a Jewish American orthopedic hand surgeon, described the significant violence inflicted on children during his time in Gaza.

The signatories estimate that the true toll of the war in Gaza could be in excess of 92,000, considering deaths from starvation or disease and bodies still buried under the rubble. The collapsing healthcare system, relentless Israeli airstrikes, power outages, and medical supply shortages have exacerbated the dire situation. The World Health Organization's recent detection of the polio virus in sewage samples raised concerns about the potential spread of the disease among thousands of Palestinians.

The American medical workers warn that under these conditions, epidemics could result in the deaths of tens of thousands more children. The displacement of people to areas lacking basic amenities like water and sanitation increases the risk of viral and bacterial diarrheal diseases and pneumonia.

The medical workers, emphasizing that they are not politicians, stress that they cannot remain silent about the atrocities they witnessed in Gaza. They hope that their letter will make the average American understand the pain they feel on a daily basis.

As the situation in Gaza reaches a critical juncture, the voices of these medical professionals carry weight in demanding immediate action to end the violence.