Surgeon Who Treated Victims of US-Backed Israeli Genocide Wins House Primary in New Jersey

Dr. Adam Hamawy, a retired US Army combat surgeon who in 2024 volunteered at a Gaza hospital amid Israel's genocidal assault, handily prevailed Tuesday in the Democratic primary race in New Jersey's 12th Congressional District after running on a message of healthcare, not bombs.I am going to Congress to fight for you—for healthcare, not bombs, to abolish ICE, and to unrig the economy once and for all, said Hamawy, the heavy favorite to win in November in the deep-blue district. I will never take money from corporate PACs or AIPAC. I will always vote my conscience—I will be beholden to no one.Justice Democrats and IMEU Policy Project, progressive organizations that backed Hamawy with 200,000 in mail ads, celebrated his victory in the crowded primary, where the surgeon received nearly 10,000 more votes than the second-place candidate.“Dr. Adam Hamawy’s heroism and commitment to human rights were at the heart of his campaign to end Washington’s bottomless budgets for war abroad and to invest in communities at home, the groups said in a joint statement. Voters were drawn to Dr. Hamawy’s candidacy because he knows firsthand the reality of Israel’s genocide in Gaza like few do—having worked to save the lives of Palestinian children under bombardment and unimaginable conditions.His experience is necessary in Congress now more than ever, as too many of the people meant to represent us continue to look the other way while our tax dollars fund injustices here and abroad, they added. Dr. Hamawy will not look away from injustice, because he is unbought and committed to building on his lifetime of service to chart a new path in our politics away from cruelty, and toward compassion for all.”Hamawy's campaign was also backed by prominent progressive lawmakers, including US Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who celebrated his win in a social media post late Tuesday.Dr. Hamawy will be a strong progressive voice in the House and, as a physician, he understands our healthcare system is broken and we need Medicare for All, Sanders wrote.Hamawy, who is running to fill the seat of retiring Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, has spoken openly about his experience volunteering at the European Hospital in southern Gaza, from which he was evacuated in May 2024 after Israeli authorities trapped him and his team in the besieged enclave.I have never in my career witnessed the level of atrocities and targeting of my medical colleagues as I have in Gaza, said Hamawy, who served in Iraq. US Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) credits Hamawy with saving her life after her helicopter was shot down in Iraq in 2004.Speaking to supporters late Tuesday, Hamawy said that for my whole life, I have tried to tackle the crises we face with my hands, treating patients.But I am a surgeon. I don’t like putting Band-Aids on bullet wounds, he continued. It’s time for some preventative care. To get my patients—and all of us—the care they need, we are going to change the very system that’s hurting us.