Surgeon from Gaza speaks

I am a general surgeon, volunteering at Shifa and Alquds (Palestinian Red Crescent Hospital) since the beginning of the [October 2023] war. The situation here is beyond dire. It’s nothing short of a genocide – they’re targeting everything. The majority of casualties we receive are children and their parents, all from the same families. It’s a heartbreaking sight.

In all my years, including previous wars like 2012 and 2014, I’ve never witnessed anything like this. Even my senior colleagues, who have seen their share of aggressions and intifadas in the ’90s and early 2000s, agree. The medical staff is stretched to their limits, and our supplies are dwindling fast. Many hospitals have received evacuation warnings, including Alquds Hospital where I work. But we’ve chosen to stay, determined to continue providing medical care to those who need it most.

We’re forced into impossible choices with triage, having to prioritize those with better chances of survival. It’s devastating to watch some, marked with a black label, knowing their odds are slim in the current circumstances. Normally, we’d have options to transfer stable patients for further care, but this time, even smaller hospitals and centers in Gaza are being targeted.

The complexity of injuries is staggering, many of which are unprecedented. Patients often have multiple injuries, demanding an orchestra of surgical teams – general, orthopedic, neuro, and thoracic surgeons – working simultaneously. Most patients require three or even four consecutive surgeries over consecutive days, adding immense strain on our teams and resources.

More patients could be saved with concerted efforts and solutions, but access is severely restricted. International medical teams are being denied entry to Gaza. This war is a bloodier, grimmer chapter than any before.

This must end swiftly. Supplies need to flow in, and humanitarian needs must be addressed. Thousands of families seek refuge in hospitals, cramming into corridors and spaces between patients, making an already dire situation even harder.

My family is still at home, which is an unsafe place like all homes in Gaza. This puts further stress and worries over our shoulders, preventing full concentration at the hospital, especially because of poor Internet connection conditions.

Words from Khaled Shawa, MD, a Palestinian surgeon volunteering in Al-Quds and Al-Shifa hospitals in Gaza