‘Giving up is not an option’: Volunteer doctors at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital | Gaza News

Deir el-Balah, Gaza – Abdelrahman Abu Shawish didn’t anticipate to be making life-altering selections for his sufferers so quickly after graduating from medical faculty at Gaza’s Azhar College.

The 25-year-old, who lives together with his household within the Nuseirat refugee camp, started volunteering within the surgical division of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital on October 10 and located himself deciding whether or not a wounded particular person requires a full or partial amputation of their limbs.

“The accidents that I noticed within the [May] 2021 struggle roughly seemed the identical,” he advised Al Jazeera. “However this time round, I’ve seen so many differing kinds, from various levels of burns to amputated limbs, to deep lacerations and several types of shrapnel.”

The hospital, which was meant to serve the central city of Deir el-Balah, has change into the Gaza Strip’s foremost therapy facility as a result of full collapse of hospitals in Gaza Metropolis and northern Gaza.

Almost two-thirds of the strip’s hospitals – 26 out of 35 – have stopped functioning following weeks of bombardment by Israeli forces on the territory, which started on October 7. At the very least 1.5 million Palestinians have been displaced from their houses and the large aerial and floor assault on Gaza has destroyed a lot of its infrastructure, together with greater than half the houses.

Moreover, the whole siege imposed by Israel on the enclave means hospitals have run out of gasoline, electrical energy and clear water.

“We’ve got very restricted medical provides,” Abu Shawish stated. “When dozens of wounded individuals come to the hospital on account of an Israeli assault, we frequently can’t deal with them unexpectedly as a result of we have to sterilise our instruments as we don’t have sufficient.”

The dearth of assets means docs can do little greater than the minimal required to maintain their sufferers alive. Correct therapy is out of the query.

“We’re unable to take away all of the shrapnel from a wounded particular person’s physique, solely the items that threaten their lives,” Abu Shawish defined. “That’s nonetheless harmful, as shrapnel may cause infections that result in a number of organ failure, however we hope they’ll comply with up as soon as the struggle is over.”

The younger physician, who had studied German in preparation for going to Germany for his residency, stated he has needed to downgrade his aspirations for his profession.

“I had massive goals earlier than the struggle however now I simply hope for me and my household to remain alive,” he stated.

‘No time for relaxation’

After his household residence was destroyed within the Israeli shelling of the al-Zahra neighbourhood south of Gaza Metropolis, Mohammad Abu Salem started volunteering at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital on October 19 and has solely seen his household twice since then.

Additionally simply 25 years outdated, Abu Salem, who specialised in physiotherapy on the Islamic College in Gaza Metropolis, stated Israeli massacres of Palestinians have change into an on a regular basis actuality within the Gaza Strip.

“I knew working in a hospital normally could be hectic, however working in a hospital throughout a struggle is on a complete new completely different stage,” he stated. “You don’t know what will occur tomorrow, whether or not you’ll reside or die. However giving up just isn’t an choice.”

The physiotherapy division sees all sufferers after their preliminary therapy within the emergency room, after which they go on to different departments such because the surgical unit or paediatric wing. Abu Salem talks to sufferers in regards to the nature of their wounds, the issues which may come up, and tips on how to keep away from such dangers.

“The opposite day my very own brother got here in injured – fortunately it wasn’t severe,” he stated. “However the stress of treating individuals you recognize… may be very debilitating.”

Nearing whole collapse

Within the emergency room, Alaa Kassab factors out sufferers whose limbs have turned blue, explaining that shrapnel has probably executed a lot injury that the limb isn’t oxygenating and will must be amputated.

Incidents like this, particularly the massive variety of kids she has seen lose limbs to amputation, have impacted her to the purpose the place she just isn’t capable of converse generally.

As a substitute of speaking to her household at residence, she wants to sit down in silence to get better most days.

Kassab completed her medical research on the Ain Shams College in Cairo and returned to her hometown of Deir el-Balah final February.

“I had this dream of ending my medical internship yr, then travelling abroad to finish my research by specialising, earlier than finally going again to Gaza,” she stated. “What I’ve seen previously two weeks since volunteering has solely made me extra decided to be a health care provider.”

The hours are lengthy and gruelling, and Kassab has by no means seen a few of the wounds she is having to deal with now.

“There isn’t a day the place we are able to relaxation,” she stated, including that she works from midday till 3am the next day. “The variety of wounded individuals by no means lets up. It’s why I made a decision to volunteer, as a result of I knew that docs are underneath an immense quantity of stress and the scenario could be very powerful.”

Kassab stated the hospital is nearing a complete collapse of companies. With out sufficient surgical instruments, gasoline, medical provides or personnel, they may quickly not be capable of deal with any extra sufferers, she stated.

“In fact, I’m right here to serve my individuals, and I don’t remorse that for a second,” she stated. “However the scenario within the Gaza Strip could be very unhealthy.”