Phoenix, Arizona - Health care workers across Arizona are stepping up demands for a ceasefire in Gaza and protections for Palestinian doctors and patients under siege with a new series of rallies.

Health care providers across the Grand Canyon State are joining together to demand an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the opening of a humanitarian corridor, and safe transit of all patients in Gaza. To amplify their demands, they will begin holding White Coat Rallies in Phoenix and Tucson next month.

The announcement of the planned actions comes as over 13,300 Palestinians, including more than 5,500 children, have been killed in the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza. More than 1.5 million more people have been displaced as accusations of genocide and war crimes continue to mount.

"We stand before you today as the voices of the health care heroes in Gaza," Rowan Imran, a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner student, said in a Tuesday press conference outside the St. Luke's Medical Center in Phoenix.

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"As a proud Palestinian woman training to be a mental health nurse practitioner, I cannot stand by as children are forced to mentally prepare for their own death," she added.

"This entire generation of children has been disabled physically and mentally. It is our duty to answer their calls."

Many of Israel's attacks have targeted Palestinian hospitals and ambulances, including brutal strikes on the Al-Shifa Hospital and Indonesian Hospital in Gaza City. Israeli forces have also blocked much-needed food, water, fuel, and medical supplies from reaching Gazan civilians and health centers.

Doctors and nurses in Gaza are struggling to provide urgent care to the wounded as 25 hospitals and 52 health centers have been forced to close since the Israeli bombardment began. Many have had to perform surgeries on patients without anesthesia.

"As physicians, we have taken an oath to heal and do no harm. Our purpose is to alleviate suffering and preserve life. However, in Palestine, the pain and suffering are beyond comprehension," Dr. Fidaa Wishah, who is Palestinian-American, said during the press conference.

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Many Palestinian health workers are putting their lives on the line to continue providing life-saving care. More than 200 have been killed since October, making clear the need for swift action.

"This is not a matter of political opinion. It's a matter of upholding human rights and safeguarding innocent lives," Dr. Wishah insisted. "Now is the time to act, for every life lost is a loss of humanity."