65 Doctors, Nurses and Paramedics: What We Saw in Gaza
Daniel Benneworth-Gray
Nearly every day I was there, I saw a new young child who had been shot in the head or the chest, virtually all of whom went on to die. Thirteen in total.
I worked as a trauma surgeon in Gaza from March 25 to April 8. I’ve volunteered in Ukraine and Haiti, and I grew up in Flint, Mich. I’ve seen violence and worked in conflict zones. But of the many things that stood out about working in a hospital in Gaza, one got to me: Nearly every day I was there, I saw a new young child who had been shot in the head or the chest, virtually all of whom went on to die. Thirteen in total.
At the time, I assumed this had to be the work of a particularly sadistic soldier located nearby. But after returning home, I met an emergency medicine physician who had worked in a different hospital in Gaza two months before me. “I couldn’t believe the number of kids I saw shot in the head,” I told him. To my surprise, he responded: “Yeah, me, too. Every single day.”
These photographs of X-rays were provided by Dr. Mimi Syed, who worked in Khan Younis from Aug. 8 to Sept. 5. She said: “I had multiple pediatric patients, mostly under the age of 12, who were shot in the head or the left side of the chest. Usually, these were single shots. The patients came in either dead or critical, and died shortly after arriving.” Dr. Mimi Syed
An enormous amount of information about the extent of the devastation in Gaza has been gleaned from satellite data, humanitarian organizations and Gaza’s Ministry of Health. However, Israel does not allow journalists or human rights investigators into Gaza outside of a very small number of embedded reporting trips with the Israeli military, and stories from Palestinian journalists in Gaza have not been read widely enough, despite the incredible risks they take in reporting there.
But there is a group of independent observers who have seen this war from the ground, day after day: volunteer health care workers.
Through personal contacts in the medical community and a good deal of searching online, I was able to get in touch with American health care workers who have served in Gaza since Oct. 7, 2023. Many have familial or religious ties to the Middle East. Others, like me, do not, but felt compelled to volunteer in Gaza for a variety of reasons.
Using questions based on my own observations and my conversations with fellow doctors and nurses, I worked with Times Opinion to poll 65 health care workers about what they had seen in Gaza. Fifty-seven, including myself, were willing to share their experiences on the record. The other eight participated anonymously, either because they have family in Gaza or the West Bank, or because they fear workplace retaliation.
This is what we saw.
Dr. Mohamad Rassoul Abu-NuwarGeneral, bariatric and foregut surgeon, 36 years old, Pittsburgh, Pa.
“One night in the emergency department, over the course of four hours, I saw six children between the ages of 5 and 12, all with single gunshot wounds to the skull.”
Nina NgEmergency nurse, 37 years old, New York City, N.Y.
“Pediatric gunshot-wound patients were treated on the floor, often bleeding out on the floor of the hospital due to lack of space, equipment, staff and support. Many died unnecessarily.”
Dr. Mark PerlmutterOrthopedic and hand surgeon, 69 years old, Rocky Mount, N.C.
“I saw several children shot with high velocity bullet wounds, in both the head and chest.”
Dr. Irfan GalariaPlastic and reconstructive surgeon, 48 years old, Chantilly, Va.
“Our team cared for about four or five children, ages 5 to 8 years old, that were all shot with single shots to the head. They all presented to the emergency room at the same time. They all died.”
Rania AfanehParamedic, 23 years old, Savannah, Ga.
“I saw a child who had been shot in the jaw. No other part of his body was affected. He was fully awake and aware of what was going on. He stared at me while he choked on his own blood as I tried to suction the blood out with a broken suction unit.”
Dr. Khawaja IkramOrthopedic surgeon, 53 years old, Dallas, Texas
“One day, while in the E.R., I saw a 3-year-old and 5-year-old, each with a single bullet hole to their head. When asked what happened, their father and brother said they had been told that Israel was backing out of Khan Younis. So they returned to see if anything was left of their house. There was, they said, a sniper waiting who shot both children.”
Dr. Ahlia KattanAnesthesiologist and critical care doctor, 37 years old, Costa Mesa, Calif.
“I saw an 18-month-old little girl with a gunshot wound to the head.”
Dr. Ndal FarahAnesthesiologist, 42 years old, Toledo, Ohio
“I saw many children. In my experience the gunshot wound was often to the head. Many had non-curable, permanent brain damage. It was almost a daily occurrence to have children arrive at the hospital with gunshot wounds to the head.”
Times Opinion sent questions about the experiences of these American health care workers to the Israel Defense Forces. A spokesperson for the I.D.F. responded with a statement that did not directly answer whether or not the military had investigated reports of shootings of preteen children, or if any disciplinary action had been taken against soldiers for firing at children. The statement began, “The I.D.F. is committed to mitigating civilian harm during operational activity. In that spirit, the I.D.F. makes great efforts to estimate and consider potential civilian collateral damage in its strikes. The I.D.F. is fully committed to respecting all applicable international legal obligations, including the Law of Armed Conflict.”
Merril TydingsFlight, emergency and critical care nurse, 44 years old, Santa Fe, N.M.
“These people were starving. I learned very quickly to not drink my water or eat the food I had brought in front of the health care workers because they had gone so many days without.”
Dr. Ndal FarahAnesthesiologist, 42 years old, Toledo, Ohio
“Malnutrition was widespread. It was common to see patients reminiscent of Nazi concentration camps with skeletal features.”
Abeerah MuhammadEmergency and critical care nurse, 33 years old, Dallas, Texas
“Everyone we met showed us pictures of themselves before October. They had all lost 20 to 60 pounds of weight. Most patients and staff looked emaciated and dehydrated.”
Asma TahaPediatric nurse practitioner, 57 years old, Portland, Ore.
“The head of the NICU, in particular, was almost unrecognizable — he had lost nearly half of his body weight compared to his prewar appearance. These changes were not just physical; they reflected the emotional and psychological toll the conflict had taken on those dedicated to caring for others, even as they struggled with their own personal losses and challenges.”
Dr. Nahreen AhmedPulmonary and critical care doctor, 40 years old, Philadelphia, Pa.
“Every patient I treated had evidence of malnutrition. For example, poor wound healing and rapidly developing infections.”
Dr. Aman OdehPediatrician, 40 years old, Austin, Texas
“Mothers on the maternity ward delivered prematurely because of malnutrition, stress and infection. Milk production was poor due to lack of hydration and adequate food supply.”
Dr. Mike MallahTrauma, critical care and general surgeon, 40 years old, Charleston, S.C.
“All of my patients were suffering from malnutrition, 100 percent.”
Dr. Deborah WeidnerGeneral, child and adolescent psychiatrist, 58 years old, Hartford, Conn.
“The patients were very thin. I could see that their pants were too big, and their belts had been tightened.”
Dr. Mimi SyedEmergency medicine doctor, 44 years old, Olympia, Wash.
“One 4-year-old girl with major burns to her body was completely dissociated. She was staring out into space, humming a lullaby to herself. Not crying, but shaking and in utter shock.”
Dr. Ahlia KattanAnesthesiologist and critical care doctor, 37 years old, Costa Mesa, Calif.
“Every child I spent time with looked to me as a mother, for safety. They were lacking emotional security and physical security and it was very obvious to us from the way they clung to us and asked us to take them home in our suitcases.”
Dr. Tanya Haj-HassanPediatric critical care doctor, 39 years old
“One child who had lost all his family wished he had been killed, too, saying: ‘Everyone I love is in heaven. I don’t want to be here anymore.’”
Laura SwobodaWound nurse practitioner, 37 years old, Mequon, Wis.
“At one point while doing rounds on wound patients in the pediatric ward, the head nurse grabbed my arm and begged us to bring psychiatric help for them the next time we came.”
Dr. Feroze SidhwaTrauma, critical care and general surgeon, 42 years old, Lathrop, Calif.
“Most children certainly enjoyed moments of happiness, but in general the children were frightened, on edge, desperate, hungry, thirsty and disoriented. One severely injured child, a young boy with a right leg amputation and broken right arm and left leg, repeatedly asked his mother why he couldn’t have died with his other family members.”
Abeerah MuhammadEmergency and critical care nurse, 33 years old, Dallas, Texas
“I treated multiple children with explosive and shrapnel injuries. Many children exhibited stoicism and did not cry even when in pain; this is an unusual psychological response in a child. We were forced to suture many lacerations without anesthetic, and children would be listless while we did this instead of resisting. I saw children who had witnessed many family members be killed in front of them. They all expressed the wish to be dead and join their families. I saw preteen and teenage children who had evidence of self-harm such as cutting on their forearms.”
Dr. Mohammed Al-JaghbeerPulmonary and critical care doctor, 41 years old, Ohio
“Many children would not speak for days, even with their family at bedside. One child would not accept a gift I brought of a little plastic car, because she did not want to touch or talk to anyone but her father.”
Dr. Adam HamawyPlastic and reconstructive surgeon, 55 years old, South Brunswick, N.J.
“Children who lost limbs and could not run or play specifically said they wished they had died, and some wanted to kill themselves.”
Dr. Mark PerlmutterOrthopedic and hand surgeon, 69 years old, Rocky Mount, N.C.
“Many said that they wished the next bomb would just hit them to put an end to their torture.”
Rania AfanehParamedic, 23 years old, Savannah, Ga.
“A child was brought in with her father after their home was bombed. Her father lay naked, covered by a thin plastic sheet in the bed next to her, unable to move while he listened to her screams. She was injured, but she wasn't screaming in pain. She was screaming for her mother and father, and was afraid until I put her in my lap and comforted her until she fell asleep.”
Dr. Talal Ali KhanNephrologist and internist, 40 years old, Oklahoma City, Okla.
“Many children in Gaza are not like normal kids. It seems like their childhood is wiped away. No smiles, no eye contact. They even don’t play like regular kids. I saw them just sitting and staring at their hands or their water bottles, not willing to interact with anybody.”
Laura SwobodaWound nurse practitioner, 37 years old, Mequon, Wis.
“Infants that would normally survive in resource-rich settings died in Gaza. An infant that our pediatric cardiologist tended to overnight passed away, and later that day I saw the family carry out the small body wrapped in a medical surgical drape.”
Dr. Arham AliPediatric critical care doctor, 38 years old, Loma Linda, Calif.
“Starved mothers would report to the I.C.U. begging for formula to feed their newborn children. Newborn babies only a few hours or days old would present to the hospital severely dehydrated, infected and hypothermic. Many babies died from these conditions which were 100 percent preventable deaths.”
Merril TydingsFlight, emergency and critical care nurse, 44 years old, Santa Fe, N.M.
“It is very simple. A baby born to a malnourished mother is going to have difficulty thriving and growing with a continued lack of nutrients.”
Abeerah MuhammadEmergency and critical care nurse, 33 years old, Dallas, Texas
“There were hundreds of displaced families living in and around the hospital. The babies showed signs of acute dehydration including lethargy, sunken fontanels and eyes, no tears when crying and not producing urine.”
Monica JohnstonBurn and wound critical care nurse, 45 years old, Portland, Ore.
“One mother was discharged two hours after she gave birth. I saw her on my walk to the hospital a few days later and she was begging me for infant formula because she couldn’t produce enough milk.”
Asma TahaPediatric nurse practitioner, 57 years old, Portland, Ore.
“Every day, desperate families stopped by pleading for just a single can of formula to feed their starving newborns. Sadly, with supplies severly limited, we were often unable to meet their urgent needs.”
Dr. Aman OdehPediatrician, 40 years old, Austin, Texas
“I worked in a neonatal I.C.U. Several infants died every day due to lack of medical supplies and appropriate nutrition. We had to make tough decisions about which very sick baby would be on the ventilator due to lack of equipment. I saw a family bringing in their dead 3-day-old infant who had been living in a tent.”
Dr. Mark PerlmutterOrthopedic and hand surgeon, 69 years old, Rocky Mount, N.C.
“Children with relatively minor injuries, including fractures and burns, succumbed to their injuries when even in developing countries they could have easily been saved.”