20 July 2024
In their harrowing account of volunteering at the Gaza European Hospital, surgeons Mark Perlmutter and Feroze Sidhwa describe the severe humanitarian crisis exacerbated by war, particularly its devastating impact on children. They recount their experiences treating numerous children, including a 9-year-old girl named Juri, who faced life-threatening injuries amidst overwhelming scarcity and chaos. The surgeons emphasize the acute psychological and physical toll on both patients and healthcare providers, calling for urgent action to address the catastrophic healthcare collapse in Gaza.
Key Points
- The surgeons encountered extreme conditions in Gaza, where they often operated without consent on severely injured children, including a 9-year-old girl named Juri who was critically wounded.
- The authors noted that the Gaza Strip is the “most dangerous place to be a child,” highlighting the overwhelming number of maimed children and the persistent threat of violence from military actions.
- Upon arrival, they observed a vastly overcrowded hospital that had become a makeshift shelter for over 15,000 displaced individuals, far exceeding its capacity.
- Israeli airstrikes frequently targeted inhabited areas, resulting in mass casualty events, with many patients arriving with severe head injuries from gunfire during military operations.
- Healthcare workers in Gaza suffer from extreme mental and physical stress due to ongoing trauma, lack of pay, and personal losses during the conflict.
- The hospitals are critically under-resourced, with essential medical supplies and infrastructure heavily damaged or destroyed.
- The authors argue that U.S. military aid to Israel contributes to the atrocities in Gaza, and a reevaluation of this support could halt the violence and humanitarian crisis.