11:03 pm - February 23, 2025
The moving account of Dr. Mahmoud Abu Nujaila and the courageous medical workers of Gaza paints a harrowing yet inspiriting picture of resilience in the face of overwhelming adversity. Dr. Abu Nujaila’s poignant message, “Whoever stays until the end will tell the story. We did what we could – remember us,” serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit of those who risked everything to save lives amidst unimaginable devastation. These words, scribbled on a whiteboard at al-Awda Hospital, became a symbol of defiance and resilience. A month later, Dr. Abu Nujaila, along with his colleagues Dr. Ahmad Al Sahar and Dr. Ziad Al-Tatari, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the hospital. Their deaths underscored the deliberate targeting of healthcare workers and facilities in Gaza, a grim reality that has left the medical system in ruins and countless lives lost.
The destruction of Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure is a tale of unimaginable horror. Al-Shifa Hospital, once a beacon of hope and critical care, was raided, looted, and burned, leaving countless patients without access to life-saving treatment. The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, Gaza’s only cancer hospital, was bombed and besieged, condemning its patients to a slow and agonizing death. Al-Quds Hospital, where the author’s grandmother underwent life-saving surgery, was attacked, besieged, and eventually forced to shut down, leaving its staff and patients trapped without food or water. The deliberate targeting of these hospitals, many of which served as shelters for the displaced, reveals a chilling disregard for human life and the principles of humanity.
The personal stories of Gaza’s medical workers, who have faced unimaginable suffering, are both heartbreaking and inspiring. Dr. Mohammed Al-Ron, a skilled surgeon, was forcibly disappeared and tortured in Israeli custody, emerging two months later with his body broken but his spirit unshaken. Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh, a leading surgeon at al-Shifa Hospital, was tortured to death, while Dr. Hussam Abu Safia, head of Kamal Adwan Hospital, remains in Israeli captivity, subjected to abuse and torture. Over 1,000 medical workers have been killed, and more than 300 have been forcibly disappeared, making it clear that healthcare workers in Gaza are not just victims of war but deliberate targets. Despite this, the likes of Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta and Dr. Mohammed Abu Salmiya continue to risk their lives to save others, becoming beacons of hope in the midst of despair.
For the author, the destruction of Gaza’s healthcare system has only strengthened their resolve to become a doctor. Witnessing the genocide and the mass murder of Palestinian healthcare workers has deepened their commitment to serving their people. The author’s sister, Dr. Mariam Salama Abu Helow, a paediatrician at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, embodies this resilience, working tirelessly to save the lives of children orphaned, wounded, and malnourished by the war. The author’s own journey is one of defiance and determination. Despite the opportunity to flee Gaza in January 2024, they chose to stay, clinging to the hope of completing their medical studies through e-learning, even as the city around them burned. The image of the author pouring over research papers during bombardment, refusing to leave their work unfinished, is a testament to the unwavering dedication of Gaza’s medical students.
The resilience of Gaza’s medical students and workers is a powerful counterpoint to the devastation around them. Even as the city’s universities were destroyed, 80 students at Al-Azhar University defied the odds to graduate as doctors in December 2023, ready to begin their careers amid the shattered remains of Gaza’s hospitals. The author, determined to become a neurosurgeon, sees their future as a way to honor the sacrifices of those who have been lost and to rebuild what has been destroyed. For them, the journey is not just about personal achievement but about fulfilling a moral, patriotic, and human obligation to their people. The author’s resolve is a microcosm of the broader story of Gaza’s medical community, a story of hope, resilience, and defiance in the face of relentless oppression.
In the end, the author’s message is one of hope and defiance. “We will not be defeated,” they declare, echoing the spirit of Dr. Abu Nujaila and the countless others who have given their lives to protect and serve their people. The story of Gaza’s medical workers is not just a testament to their courage but a reminder of the enduring power of humanity in the face of inhumanity. As long as there are those who refuse to abandon their homes, their people, and their principles, there is hope for a future where Gaza’s healthcare system can be rebuilt, and its people can live with dignity and peace. The story of Gaza’s medical workers is one of loss, but it is also one of resilience, a reminder that even in the darkest of times, the human spirit can endure, inspire, and ultimately prevail.