Lettera degli accademici: basta silenzio, fermate il genocidio a Gaza
di Roberto De Vogli

La lettera e i primi firmatari:

STOP THE SILENCE: Academic Associations Must Recognise the Genocide in Gaza

To the attention of:

European Public Health Association (EUPHA), American Public Health Association (APHA), World Medical Association (WMA), American Medical Association (AMA), European Federation of Psychologists’ Associations (EFPA), American Psychological Association (APA), International Society of Political Psychology (ISPP), European Health Psychology Society (EHPS), International Political Science Association (IPSA), American Political Science Association (APSA), American Economic Association (AEA), European Economic Association (EEA), American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), International Association of Universities (IAU), American Anthropological Association (AAA), American Sociological Association (ASA), European Sociological Association (ESA), International Society for Criminology (ISC), British Society of Criminology (BSC), European Consortium for Political Research (ECPR), and other relevant professional and academic associations

Esteemed colleagues,

As academics, scholars and professionals from various disciplines, including public health, medicine, history, sociology, criminology, genocide research, economics, political sciences, international relations and psychology, alongside activists and members of global civil society, we write to express our profound concern over the ongoing genocide, public health crisis and systemic destruction in Gaza. We are alarmed by the international community's failure to respond adequately to this humanitarian emergency.

We note with dismay that some associations have either remained silent or issued statements that fall short of moral and professional responsibility in the face of overwhelming evidence and widespread recognition of genocide.

We recognise that a small number of associations have taken important steps by passing resolutions in support of a ceasefire and academic freedom. We commend these efforts. However, we also note with concern that such statements have avoided the use of the term “genocide”, and that apart from some exceptions (e.g., the International Sociological Association and the Middle East section of the American Anthropological Association), these statements fail to clearly indicate responsibility for the mass atrocities, nor do they call for international legal accountability.

Neutrality in the face of genocide is complicity. We call on associations to recognize and respond to the health, psychological, social, economic, and structural collapse occurring in Gaza.

Among the most devastating facts are:

1. A historical mortality crisis and unprecedented collapse of life expectancy
According to a Lancet paper, Gaza suffered the fastest reduction in life expectancy ever recorded in a single year. The average life expectancy at birth declined by around 35 years in 2024, falling from 75.5 to just 40.5 years. If confirmed, this would be without recent historical precedent, even during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. (Guillot et al., 2025; Our World in Data). Another Lancet study showed that the age and gender distribution of mortality in Gaza revealed a lack of discrimination in killings across age and gender. This pattern is similar to that observed by the UN Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation during the Rwandan genocide of 1994. (Jamaluddine et al., 2025).

2. Unprecedented massacres, amputations and psychological trauma affecting children
There is a unique public health catastrophe affecting children in Gaza. As a BMJ article stated, 'While civilian casualties were significant in all cases studied, none has seen the number of civilian deaths, particularly among children, as in Gaza since last October' (Bhutta et al., 2024). According to a public statement by the United Nations, Gaza has the highest number of child amputees per capita in the world. (UNOCHA, 2024c). There is also a devastating mental health situation. This is reflected in the unprecedented level of psychological trauma. A study of children living through the conflict in Gaza found that 49% wanted to die, 96% believed their death was imminent, 79% had nightmares, and 73% showed signs of aggression (War Child, 2024)

3. Unprecedented devastation of health systems
Since 8 October, the Gazan healthcare system has been the target of systematic attacks. According to the World Health Organization, the Israeli military carried out 720 attacks on healthcare targets in the Gaza Strip between October 2023 and May 2025. This includes 125 health facilities, 34 hospitals, and 186 ambulances. (WHO, 2025; UNOCHA, 2025c).
4. Mass killing of healthcare workers, UN personnel, and journalists
Israel has caused the highest number of deaths among healthcare professionals, UN staff and journalists in any conflict zone in recent history. In 2024, Gaza experienced the highest number of UN staff mortality in UN history, with 126 members of staff being killed. (UN, 2025). Doctors Without Borders estimate that more than 1,400 healthcare workers have lost their life. (Doctors Without Borders, 2025). Since October 2023, at least 232 journalists and media workers have been killed in Gaza. A report documented that 'more journalists have been killed in Gaza than in the US Civil War, the World Wars, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the wars in Yugoslavia, and the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan combined'. (Watson School of International and Public Affairs, 2025).

5. Scholasticide and Universitycide
The United Nations has stated that Israel's assault has 'obliterated Gaza’s educational system'. This has been characterised as 'scholasticide'. Between October 2023 and February 2025, around 71% (403 out of 564) of schools in Gaza were hit or damaged. At least 612 members of school staff were killed and 2,769 were injured. Furthermore, more than 57 university buildings have been destroyed and over 190 university academic staff have been reported killed. (UN, 2025).

6. Use of starvation as weapon
Israel has repeatedly and relentlessly used starvation as a weapon of war, as documented in numerous sources, including a British Medical Journal editorial (Sah & Dawas, 2024) and an article in The Lancet (Ashour et al., 2024).

7. Widespread infrastructure annihilation
Approximately 81% of all buildings in Gaza have been damaged (UNOSAT, 2025). More than 50 million tons of rubble, much of it contaminated with unexploded bombs, now cover the territory. Experts estimate that it could take up to 20 years to clear the rubble (UNOCHA, 2025b).

8. Imprisonment without charge
The dutiful and urgent advocacy for the release of the 50 Israeli hostages in Gaza must go hand in hand with the release of all Palestinians illegally detained in Israeli prisons. Although Western mainstream media often label them as “prisoners”, according to a July 2024 UN report, around a third of the 9,500 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel are detained without charge or trial (OHCHR, 2024).

9. Recognition of occupation and systematic violation of international law
An occupying force that is responsible for repeated violations of international law has no “right to self-defence” outside its borders. As outlined in a document submitted to the International Court of Justice by the South African government, the events that have occurred since 7 October 2023 must be considered within 'the broader context of Israel's conduct towards the Palestinians during its 75 years of "apartheid", 56 years of "occupation" of Palestinian territory, and its 16 years of "blockade" of Gaza'. (ICJ, 2024)

10. Recognition of genocide
A long and prestigious list of genocide scholars has affirmed that an ongoing genocide is taking place in Gaza: (Sondos, 2025; McDoom, 2024; Quigley, 2024; Moses, 2025; TWAILR, 2023; Goldberg, 2024; Prosingeri, 2024; Mordechai, 2024; Kartal, 2024; Sarfraz, 2024; Bartov, 2024; Faddoul et al. 2024).
The most influential human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Lemkin Institute for the Prevention of Genocide, as well as Doctors Without Borders, the University Network for Human Rights, and UN special rapporteurs Francesca Albanese, Michael Fakhri and Tlaleng Mofokeng, officially recognised the genocide in Gaza. (Lemkin Institute, 2025) (UN Human Rights Council, 2024) (United Nations, 2024) (OHCHR, 2025a) (Amnesty International, 2024) (Human Rights Watch, 2024) (Doctors Without Borders, 2024).
Given the health, psychological, social, and humanitarian catastrophe, we urge all professional and academic associations to:
· Publicly recognise the genocide
· Amend existing official statements on Gaza to reflect the full scope, gravity, and responsibility of the crisis
· Call for immediate international intervention, including a permanent ceasefire, unrestricted humanitarian access, and legal accountability for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide
· Defend academic freedom for those who research, teach, and advocate on Palestine
· Provide direct support to displaced and targeted scholars, students, and healthcare professionals
· Fund and promote research into the public health, psychological, medical, socio-political, and economic consequences of the genocide in Gaza.

In times of atrocity, professional silence is not neutrality. It is endorsement and moral abdication.
We urge you to act with conscience, courage, and clarity.

This petition remains open to academics, professionals, and members of the public.

(...) Signatures (last update 14/07/2025):
1. Prof. Roberto De Vogli, MPH, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Padova, Italy, former Associate Professor, University of Michigan, University of California Davis, United States, and former Senior Lecturer, University College London, United Kingdom 2. Dr. Jonathan Montomoli, MD, PhD, Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Rimini Hospital, Romagna Local Health Authority & Health Services Research, Evaluation and Policy Unit, Romagna Local Health Authority, Italy
3. Prof. Ghassan Abu-Sittah, MD, PhD, Rector and Associate Professor of Surgery, University of Glasgow, United Kingdom
4. Prof. Ilan Pappé, PhD, Professor of History, Director, European Centre for Palestine Studies, Co Director, Exeter Centre for Ethno Political Studies, University of Exeter, United Kingdom
5. Prof. Nassim Nicholas Taleb, PhD, Author & Retired Distinguished Professor, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, United States, and former Maroun Semaan Faculty, University of Beirut, Lebanon
6. Prof. Rashid Khalidi, PhD, Edward Said Professor Emeritus of Modern Arab Studies, Department of History, Columbia University 7. Prof. Omer Bartov, PhD, Dean's Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Department of History, Faculty Fellow, Watson Institute for International & Public Affairs, Brown University
8. Prof. Avi Shlaim, MSc, Emeritus Fellow of St Antony’s College and a former Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and Fellow of the British Academy, United Kingdom
9. Prof. Norman Finkelstein, PhD, PhD from Princeton University, Independent Scholar, Author, and former Professor of Political Science at DePaul University, United States
10. Prof. Martin Shaw, PhD, Professor Barcelona Institute of International Studies, Spain & Emeritus Professor, Sussex University, United Kingdom
11. Prof. Yanis Varoufakis, PhD,MeRA25 leader, DiEM25 co-founder, Professor of Economics, University of Athens, Honorary Professor of Political Economy, University of Sydney, Honoris Causa Professor of Law, Economics and Finance, The International University College of Torino, Distinguished Visiting Professor of Political Economy, Kings College, University of London
12. Prof. Richard Wilkinson, Emeritus Professor, University of Nottingham Medical School and Honorary Professor, University College London, United Kingdom
13. Prof. Kate Pickett, PhD, OBE FRSA FFPH FAcSS, Professor of Epidemiology & Director of the Born in Bradford Centre for Social Change, Associate Director, Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Academic Director of Health Equity North, University of York, United Kingdom
14. Prof. Tomaso Montanari, PhD,Rector, University for Foreigners of Siena, Italy

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