Egyptian doctor describes 'unimaginable' condition in Gaza

Dr Ahmed Abdel Aziz temporarily closed his clinic in Egypt's Cairo to volunteer in the Gaza Strip.

The 74-year-old orthopaedic surgeon arrived in the war-torn Palestinian territory with a team of doctors from Egypt, Jordan, Germany and France working with the Rahma Worldwide relief group. 

But nothing could prepare him for what he has seen so far. 

"When I arrived, I didn't see any sign of life in Gaza," Abdel Aziz said. "It's impossible to describe the situation. You can't imagine it unless you see it."

Speaking to Middle East Eye from Kamal Adwan Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, the surgeon said he witnessed flattened homes as far as the eye could see. 

In hospitals, the scale and type of injuries he witnessed were "indescribable". 

One of the cases that moved him the most was a wounded girl who was the lone survivor of her family. 
 
"One of her arms was amputated, a leg broken and almost her entire body burned," Abdel Aziz said. "She was constantly asking where her father, mother and siblings were." 

Her case was not unique, Abdel Aziz said. 

"The number of wounded orphans is beyond imagination. They will need a massive effort by NGOs to help them recover and rehabilitate." 

Despite the dire conditions in hospitals, one thing stood out: the dedication of the local medical teams. 

"They are doing incredible work. They address the injuries they see with great dedication, professionalism and skill. 

"They work around the clock, and at the end of the day, many of them go sleep in tents with their family because their homes have been bombed."

But while their efforts are commendable, he said, the limited resources at their disposal make it imperative for outside help to arrive urgently. 

"I urge everyone to pay attention to the humanitarian disaster unfolding in Gaza," he said. "The world needs to wake up, end the war and come to help." 

Reporting by Mohammed al-Hajjar in Gaza City