British surgeon Khaled Dawas recently returned from his second mission to al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza with a harrowing account of the dire conditions he witnessed. The stark difference between his two visits left him shocked, as he saw his colleagues had dramatically lost weight, functioning like robots in the midst of continuous Israeli bombardment.
The hospital was overflowing with patients, occupying every available space, with families lying on the floor between beds. Dawas found himself treating complex injuries, including shrapnel and bullet wounds, with some patients requiring simultaneous operations. The influx of cases, especially children, following heavy shelling of the Nuseirat refugee camp, overwhelmed the hospital.
Despite being prepared for minimal medical equipment, Dawas faced challenges with the availability of only single-use devices that had to be reused multiple times. The lack of post-operative care and hygiene standards was alarming, with infections rampant and a stench of pus pervading the hospital.
Dawas recounted heartbreaking moments, such as losing a young girl due to excessive bleeding and encountering advanced cancer cases with limited treatment options. The compromised medical care in Gaza, coupled with malnutrition and infection rates, led to a stark contrast in survival rates compared to the UK.
As the situation in Gaza continues to deteriorate, Dawas’s experience sheds light on the urgent need for humanitarian aid and medical support to prevent further loss of life in the region.