A Palestinian American doctor, Dr. Thaer Ahmad, walked out of a meeting with President Biden and other Arab and Muslim leaders and activists out of respect for his community. He detailed his experiences in Gaza, emphasizing the impossibility of a safe Israeli invasion in a densely populated area where over one million Palestinians have sought refuge. Before leaving, he gave Mr. Biden a letter from an 8-year-old orphan in Rafah, asking the president not to allow an invasion. Ahmad accepted the invitation to the meeting because urgency and panic were felt in light of the potential invasion in Rafah, believing that President Biden could make a difference in stopping it.
Ahmad expressed his disappointment in President Biden’s lack of action to prevent the potential invasion, stating that if Biden declared Rafah a red line, the war in Gaza would stop. White House officials have previously stated that Biden has urged Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to scale back plans for the Rafah invasion, emphasizing that a major ground operation would lead to more civilian deaths and deepen the humanitarian crisis. Ahmad felt comfortable leaving the meeting, knowing that other attendees would also address the dire situation in Gaza to the president and vice president. He explained that the absence of any mention of Gaza or Palestine in Biden’s initial comments prompted his decision to walk out and express the pain and suffering felt by the Palestinian American community.
Despite the risks involved, Ahmad intends to return to Gaza, citing his witnessing of the Israeli military raiding hospitals during his previous visit. He highlighted the harrowing experiences of families sheltering in hospitals, children traumatized by the war, and the immense pressure and pain faced by health care and aid workers in Gaza. Ahmad reiterated that he never saw any signs of Hamas operating in hospitals and stressed the importance of standing with innocent civilians who have been displaced multiple times and lost everything. The possibility of an Israeli invasion in Rafah is deemed disastrous, considering the already dire humanitarian situation in the region.
In his interactions with U.N. Security Council delegation members, Ahmad emphasized the crucial role President Biden could play in preventing the Rafah invasion. He expressed disappointment in the lack of attention given to the suffering of innocent people in Gaza, critiquing the silence and exclusion felt by the Palestinian American community. Ahmad’s decision to walk out of the meeting underscored the need to communicate the hurt and pain experienced by many in the community and to hold the president accountable for his actions. Despite the challenges ahead, Ahmad’s commitment to standing with the people of Gaza and advocating for their rights remains unwavering, as he believes that the world has turned its back on them, necessitating support from individuals like himself.
