MSF Doctor in Gaza Highlights Trauma Care Needs and Questions the Scale of Destruction during Cease-fire
A recent interview with a Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) doctor working in Gaza reveals the immense challenges faced by both patients and medical personnel amidst ongoing conflict, and outlines priorities for the current cease-fire period. The doctor, identified as MB, emphasized the overwhelming strain on Gaza’s healthcare system and the profound mental health toll on the population, particularly those working to provide aid.
The situation in Gaza is marked by a critical lack of resources. MB reported that hospitals are operating beyond capacity, with ”no more beds” available to accommodate the influx of patients. While basic needs like food and water are desperately lacking, addressing mental health remains a critically important hurdle. MSF is currently focusing its mental health support on wounded patients through integrated psychosocial programs, acknowledging the impossibility of a thorough mental health initiative for the entire population at this time. Some MSF teams addressing malnutrition in children are also incorporating mental health support into their medical activities.
during the cease-fire, MSF’s priorities are multifaceted. One branch of the organization is dedicated to maternity and childcare, while others are concentrating on trauma and burn care, which MB described as “massive” in scale. The doctor highlighted the need to address complicated wounds affecting a large portion of the population, and noted collaboration with other organizations to manage the demand. Alongside medical care, MSF is also engaged in water trucking to provide drinkable water to communities.
MB powerfully conveyed the resilience of Palestinian colleagues working with NGOs, stating they continue their work “becuase patients are there and this is what we need to do,” even while personally experiencing the same hardships – starvation, bombings, and loss of family. They find purpose in their work as a coping mechanism, and MB described them as “heroes.”
However, the doctor expressed profound shock at the intensity and nature of the conflict, specifically citing the widespread use of advanced military technology, including drones and precision-guided bombs that inflict collateral damage within a 20-meter radius. MB repeatedly questioned the justification for the scale of destruction and loss of innocent life, pointing to the systematic targeting of hospitals and UN-run schools. ”Why are all those innocent people supposed to die?” MB asked, expressing disbelief at the level of devastation.
