On 16 and 19 October 2023, the Royal College of General Practitioners1 and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists2 wrote to their members (by email) in relation to the lives lost in Israel and Palestine, and the subsequent humanitarian crisis in the region. I was deeply touched by the thoughtfulness of the leaders of these colleges and felt proud that we are affiliated with organisations who value human life regardless of race, colour, or creed.

I then searched BJGP Life online, a platform that has been kind enough to publish many of my reflections in the past, to explore thoughts from other healthcare professionals in the UK and also worldwide. To my surprise, the last articles mentioning ‘Middle East’ or ‘War’ were from earlier this year, highlighting the …