As a trauma surgeon, I have had the privilege of working in many challenging environments, but nothing could have prepared me for the heart-wrenching experience of volunteering in Gaza. Over the course of nearly two weeks, I worked alongside a dedicated team of Canadian and American doctors, coordinated by the World Health Organization and Rahma Worldwide, to address the overwhelming humanitarian crisis that has gripped this region.
Apocalyptic Conditions
The Gaza Strip is a place where the thunder of explosions is a constant backdrop, and every decision from the ED to the operating room can mean life or death. With the health-care system in collapse, we often faced the agonizing choice of whom to save with our limited resources.
Many of our patients were young children with life-altering injuries, and seeing them die before our eyes was one of the hardest things I have ever endured.
“Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, which has killed more than 40,000 people—more than two-thirds of them women and children—has created apocalyptic conditions... The Lancet’s article, ‘Healthcare in Gaza: A Crisis of Human Rights,’ underscores the urgent need for unfettered access to humanitarian missions.”
Moments of Hope
During my two missions, we operated out of two hospitals in Khan Younis, treating victims of airstrikes. One night, an air raid struck near our hospital and within moments we were inundated with 15 injured children, women, and men. It was heartbreaking that we could not treat everyone, even those with a pulse.
Yet, amidst the suffering, there were moments of hope. I will never forget the eight-year-old boy who needed heart surgery after an airstrike. With my colleague Dr. Amgad Elsharif, we revived him and removed shrapnel from his heart—a feat that would have been challenging even in Canada. His family’s gift of fruit juice—a rare commodity—reminded me of human resilience.
Beyond the Hospital
The conditions in Gaza are dire beyond compare. Doctors have been trapped in hospitals for months, antibiotics are scarce, and lightning-fast disease outbreaks rage through overcrowded shelters. There is no safe evacuation route; isolation has led to higher casualties.
Entire neighborhoods lie in rubble, tent camps shelter displaced families, and ambulances cannot operate at night for fear of being targeted. Many succumb to injuries by morning.
Call to Action
To my fellow Arab, Muslim, and conscientious medical professionals in Canada: Silence in the face of genocide is complicity. I urge you to demand that our professional bodies, like the CMA, advocate for unfettered humanitarian access to Gaza.
- Sign this petition
- Email the CMA at [email protected]
Draft Email to CMA
Subject: Urgent Action Required: Advocate for Humanitarian Access to Gaza
Dear [Recipient’s Name],
As medical professionals dedicated to saving lives, we are deeply concerned about the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza…
We urge the CMA to call for immediate action to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Gaza without obstruction.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Title]
[Your Contact Info]
Dr. Anas Al-Kassem
Founder & Vice Chair, UOSSM Canada