In Gaza City, Dr. Nada Abu Al-Rub navigated a chaotic scene at Al-Shifa hospital, attending to patients in dire need. Among them was a young boy who had lost a leg and sustained severe burns from a nearby explosion. With limited supplies, Al-Rub treated his wounds using the last available gauze and salt water.
The hospital’s resources were stretched thin, with patients and their families filling the hallways, some lying on steel beds without mattresses. One elderly man arrived with internal injuries, including a shredded liver and fractured legs held together by steel spokes.
As an Australian volunteer with the Palestinian Australian New Zealand Medical Association, Al-Rub described the overwhelming conditions in Gaza City as beyond anything she had ever witnessed. The hospital, under constant siege and airstrikes, struggled to provide care to the influx of patients.
Complex injuries, particularly brain-related, were prevalent, with medical staff doing their best to stabilize patients despite limited equipment. Al-Rub noted the difficult decisions made to prioritize care based on survivability.
Amidst the devastation, Al-Rub highlighted the constant threat of drones overhead and the surrounding destruction. The ongoing conflict has led to hospitals being targeted, impacting the already fragile healthcare system in the region.
Despite the harrowing circumstances, Al-Rub expressed a hopeful desire for peace to end the suffering and loss experienced by the people in Gaza. The situation remains dire, with urgent medical needs persisting amidst the conflict.