Contributor: Donna J. Perry
Author of “Transcendent Pluralism” theory
Also see “An Urgent Need for Peace” blog post

Fifteen years ago, as I was finishing up my last trip for peace research in Israel and Palestine, I asked my Palestinian taxi driver how the situation was on the ground. He said that tensions were rising and he feared that if there was no improvement, ‘“the violence would be more than either side could bear.”’ (2011, p. 234)

We have reached that point.

Following the horrific attacks on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, the ensuing war has led to immense suffering in Gaza. The devastating loss of life through ongoing Israeli bombing is simply gut wrenching. The health care system in Gaza has been decimated, with more than 1400 health care workers killed as of May (Situation update #288). According to the World Food Program, the entire population of Gaza is facing food insecurity with close to half a million “facing catastrophic hunger.” Meanwhile, approximately 50 Israeli hostages remain in Gaza, with ongoing anguish for their families.

Despite this horrific humanitarian crisis, I have found only minimal calls for peace from professional nursing organizations. The American Nurses Association (ANA) and the International Council of Nurses (ICN) issued brief statements in 2023 and 2024.

The ANA (2023) issued a statement expressing concern for the loss of life and calling for “all parties, leaders, and policymakers to respect and consider the legal obligations of international humanitarian law to protect both access to care for civilians and health care workers who are risking their lives to provide essential care.” (ANA News release Nov 15, 2023)

The ICN (2024) noted “the unbearable suffering” affecting innocent civilians, including nurses and other healthcare workers. The ICN called for a ceasefire, restoration of humanitarian aid, and adherence to international humanitarian law.

There are many reasons that nursing bodies should be speaking out to end this conflict. First and foremost, is nursing’s commitment to advocate for policies that respect the dignity of each and every person. We also have an obligation to support our fellow health care workers who should be protected under international humanitarian law. Professional nursing bodies in the U.S. are particularly obligated to engage in policy on this issue because our country provides funding and weapons for the war. This funding has been provided during both Democrat and Republican presidencies (see Fact Sheet April 2, 2025 and Council on Foreign Relations report Nov 13, 2024). Although the U.S. has funded aid in Gaza, the delivery system has been criticized as chaotic and ineffective with many civilians killed or wounded (see Doctors Without Borders report June 27, 2025).

Despite the moral imperative to work for peace, I see very few messages coming from nursing. I have reached the conclusion that there is reluctance to get involved because this is such a thorny issue. The thorniness will not go away soon. Some level of courage is required. But the alternative is to silently wring our hands while hostages languish in tunnels and starving people are shot as they wait in line for food. When the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza is regarded through the light of history, the failure of nursing to act will forever be a stain on the profession. It is time to live up to our values.

Therefore, it is critical that we find ways to move beyond our fears, to talk about this conflict, and end the suffering of both peoples. Our communication will be strongest when grounded in nursing values as are the ANA and ICN statements above. As part of our commitment to universal human dignity, it is important that our language does not denigrate any particular group of people and increase societal biases such as antisemitism or Islamophobia. I have found it helpful to learn from peacemakers within the conflict, people who know the situation on the ground and are committed to peace and to each other. There are numerous organizations in Israel and Palestine that we can learn from. Two that I find particularly inspirational are the Parents Circle-Families Forum (bereaved family members from both sides), and Combatants for Peace. Combatants for Peace is a joint Israeli-Palestinian organization that has received many international peace awards and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize twice. I was deeply inspired by this group when conducting research with them a number of years ago.

Recently Combatants for Peace issued a set of guidelines for talking about the conflict (see below).

How to Talk about Gaza and Israel/ Palestine (from Combatants for Peace)

1. Speak from Personal Experience, Not Just Facts
2. Center Humanity, Not Sides
3. Acknowledge Pain, Then Offer a Vision
4. Invite Questions, Not Arguments
5. Share Hope through Action

On a personal note, earlier this year I was asked to give testimony to a local city council on behalf of a ceasefire resolution. I will conclude this essay with the text of that testimony as an example from one nurse. The testimony was limited to two minutes so I could not address every aspect of the conflict but there were many other speakers who provided testimony in other areas so collectively we were able to contribute to a broader discussion of crucial issues.

An Example of Nursing Policy Testimony to Promote a Ceasefire between Israel and Gaza (7, January, 2025)

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. My name is Donna Perry. I was born in Worcester and am a nursing professor here. I am deeply connected to Israel and Palestine, having served as a volunteer educator for both health care systems including Shaare Zedek Hospital and Al Quds University. I have been a member of several peace initiatives and conducted peace research with Israeli-Palestinian Combatants for Peace.

I am here to express my heartfelt support for the Resolution to promote a ceasefire.

I came to this meeting representing myself. Yet, on deeper reflection, I represent far more than myself.

I speak on behalf of the dignity of all human beings, enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

I represent the teachings of international humanitarian law, which declares that hospitals and medical personnel are to be kept safe during war.

And I speak on behalf of dear friends on both sides of the conflict whose well-being is of deep concern to me.

The current war has caused horrific human suffering. We have Israeli hostages, held in dire conditions. We have a catastrophe in Gaza that grows worse daily with innocent people killed in places that should be protected, such as hospitals. Every day I see photographs of beautiful children killed by the bombings in Gaza, their innocent faces still holding dreams of humanity’s future. Yet, in an instant, they and their dreams have been blasted from the earth. Heart wrenching videos of Palestinian suffering are sent to me by Israeli friends who express deep remorse at what their country is becoming and who cry out for a cessation of violence.

In the U.S. we have persons who feel more closely connected with the Israeli part of this conflict while others are more closely connected with the Palestinian part. But the fates of the Israeli and Palestinian peoples are woven together. If we want to help one side, we must also help the other. This can only be achieved through peace.

In conclusion, the philosopher Bernard Lonergan has defined dialectic not as a conflict between two peoples but between good and evil. We must all choose the good. Through the resolution for a ceasefire, the Worcester City Council can clearly stand for the good, both for Israelis and Palestinians.

Please choose peace. Thank you.

References

1. Perry, D.J. (2011). The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Movement: Combatants for Peace. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

About Donna J. Perry

Donna J. Perry, PhD, RN, is a nurse scientist whose research addresses human response to difference, both within and across species. Her research is guided by her middle-range theory of transcendent pluralism. She is the author of the book: The Israeli-Palestinian Peace Movement: Combatants for Peace.