Health Commission hears calls for ceasefire in Gaza amid public health crisis

In a poignant gathering at San Francisco City Hall, the Health Commission meeting on July 4, 2025, became a platform for urgent public health concerns, particularly regarding the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. As the meeting commenced, commissioners swiftly approved the minutes from the previous session, but the atmosphere shifted dramatically during the public comment segment.

One by one, health professionals and community members took to the microphone, sharing harrowing accounts and impassioned pleas regarding the situation in Palestine. Mural, a licensed clinical social worker from San Francisco General Hospital, spoke with a heavy heart about the devastating impact of genocide and displacement on public health. Drawing from her own family’s history as refugees, she highlighted the dire conditions in Gaza, where rampant disease and lack of essential resources have led to a staggering death toll, particularly among children.

Elizabeth, a therapist specializing in care for queer and trans youth, echoed these sentiments, expressing her dismay at the silence from the Department of Public Health (DPH) regarding the atrocities unfolding in Gaza. She urged the commission to recognize the occupation and genocide as a public health crisis, emphasizing the psychological toll on local communities, particularly those with ties to Palestine.

The emotional weight of the testimonies culminated with Dawn Surratt, a nurse practitioner, who revealed that nearly 200 DPH employees had signed a letter calling for a formal statement in support of a ceasefire. She recited a powerful poem by June Jordan, drawing parallels between past and present atrocities, and implored the commission to take a stand against the ongoing violence.

As the meeting progressed, the commissioners listened intently, yet the lack of immediate response to the public's calls for action left many in the room feeling a sense of urgency and frustration. The testimonies underscored a growing demand for the DPH to publicly address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and to support resolutions advocating for a ceasefire.

The meeting concluded with a lingering sense of unresolved tension, as community members left with the hope that their voices would resonate beyond the walls of City Hall, urging leaders to act decisively in the face of a humanitarian crisis that transcends borders. The call for recognition of genocide as a public health issue remains a pressing challenge for the commission, as the implications of their silence weigh heavily on the health and well-being of San Francisco's diverse communities.