Gaza Humanitarian Crisis Devastates Local Healthcare Workers

Healthcare workers at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza report profound psychological trauma after experiencing personal losses during the conflict. Anesthesiologist Manar Fayyad paused his career after discovering that a patient on his operating table was his own brother, Shadi, a victim of an airstrike in December 2023.

Fayyad describes the difficulty of coping with memories of the hospital, which has become a place of unbearable pain. He seeks social isolation and tries to process his grief without professional help. The doctor expresses a desire to leave the region to distance himself from the traumatic memories.

Nurse Khaled Raafat also stopped working after losing his wife, children, mother, and siblings in an airstrike that occurred in October 2023. He was working in the emergency room when he received the news about his family. The hospital environment is now seen as a constant reminder of his personal tragedy.

Both professionals face difficulties in resuming their social and professional lives. The emotional burden accumulated while treating the wounded during the war has had a lasting impact on the mental health of these workers. The search for ways to move forward occurs in a landscape of scarce specialized support.