US surgeon accuses Israel of deliberate destruction of Gaza healthcare system
An American trauma surgeon who worked in Gaza accused Israel on Wednesday of deliberately destroying the enclave's healthcare system.
Dr Feroze Sidhwa 's accusations, which came amid heightened global scrutiny over Israel's latest military offensive in Gaza, also said he had borne witness to the 'targeting of my colleagues and the erasure of a people'.
'The medical system has not failed, it has been systematically dismantled through a sustained military campaign that has wilfully violated international humanitarian law,' Dr Sidhwa, a critical care surgeon from Stockton, California, said in an emotional address to the UN Security Council in New York.
'I did not see or treat a single combatant during my five weeks in Gaza. My patients were six-year-olds with shrapnel through their hearts and bullets in their brains, pregnant women with their pelvises obliterated and their foetuses cut in two while still in the womb.'
Dr Sidhwa carried out two medical missions in Gaza, first at the European Hospital in Khan Younis in early 2024, and then at Nasser Medical Complex in April this year.
He recounted scenes of families sheltering in hospitals, baking bread on hotplates in emergency wards as air strikes rained down.
'Most of my patients were pre-teen children, their bodies shattered by explosions and torn by flying metal. Many died. Those who lived often awoke to find their entire families gone,' he said.
The surgeon warned that civilians are dying not only from bombardment but from starvation, disease, sepsis, exposure and despair. He accused Israel of denying Palestinians the 'conditions necessary for life' and said preventing genocide means not normalising atrocities.
'Parents memorise their children's clothing in case they must identify their remains. They pray for one piece of bread to give them before they sleep, so their children die a little less hungry if they are killed at night,' Dr Sidhwa said.
He urged council members to act on their mandate to protect global peace and security and prevent 'irreversible harm'. He called on the US in particular to heed public demands for intervention.
'I'm asking my own government's representative to hear the voices of the majority of Americans who are calling for the same,' he said. 'Hospitals are meant to be sanctuaries. Healthcare workers and first responders are supposed to be protected. Children are supposed to be protected.'
As the Gaza war entered its 600th day, the US surgeon noted that 'every day, the distinction between combatant and civilian is erased'.
Israel intensified its military offensive in Gaza earlier this month as mediators continue struggling to secure an elusive ceasefire.
Palestinians have become increasingly desperate for food as nearly three months of Israeli border closures have pushed Gaza to the brink of famine.
The aid that is now coming in 'is comparable to a lifeboat after the ship has sunk,' Sigrid Kaag, the UN Special Co-ordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, told the council.
'Since the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, the already horrific existence of civilians has only sunk further into the abyss. This is man-made,' Ms Kaag said.
'Death is their companion. It's not life, it's not hope. The people of Gaza deserve more than survival. They deserve a future.'
Ms Kaag called for collective action to revive a two-state solution, stating that the high-level international conference at the UN in June presents a 'critical opportunity'.
'It must launch a concrete path towards ending the occupation and realising the two-state solution,' she said.
Israel has vowed to seize control of Gaza and fight until Hamas is destroyed or disarmed and exiled. It also continues to demand that the militant group return the remaining 58 hostages, only about a third of whom are believed to be alive.
More than 54,000 people have been killed in Gaza and at least another 123,000 injured since Israel started its war in the Palestinian strip after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks killed about 1,200 people in Israel.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Middle East Eye
33 minutes ago
- Middle East Eye
Saudi women held in 'hellish' secretive care homes, finds report
Hundreds of Saudi women are being held in 'hellish' conditions in secretive care homes, used to 'rehabilitate' women banished by their families, according to a report in the Guardian. Over a period of six months, the Guardian collected testimonies about conditions in the care homes, known as Dar al-Reaya. The homes are where women are sent by their families or husbands for alleged disobedience, extramarital sexual relations or absence from home. Conditions were described to the Guardian as 'hellish', and included weekly floggings, forced religious teaching and a ban on any contact with the outside world. Sarah al-Yahia, who lives in exile and campaigns for the abolition of the homes, said she had spoken to a number of inmates about life in the homes. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters The women and girls described several abuses, including being given sedatives to put them to sleep, strip searches and virginity tests. 'If you are sexually abused or get pregnant by your brother or father you are the one sent to Dar al-Reaya to protect the family's reputation' - Sarah al-Yahia, Saudi exile One woman described getting lashes for not praying, and also getting lashes and being accused of lesbianism for being alone with another woman. Yahia herself was threatened by her father that she would be sent to one of the facilities when she was 13. 'My father used it as a threat if I didn't obey his sexual abuse,' she said. 'I know a woman who was sentenced to six months in jail because she helped a victim of violence,' Yahia added. 'If you are sexually abused or get pregnant by your brother or father you are the one sent to Dar al-Reaya to protect the family's reputation.' 'Utterly alone and terrified' There have been reports of women committing or attempting to commit suicide due to the abusive conditions, according to rights group Alqst. Saudi officials describe the institutions as 'shelter for girls accused or convicted of various crimes who are aged less than 30'. It says that they serve to 'rehabilitate the female inmates in time of entering the facility in order to return them to their family'. Saudi official denies that alcohol ban will be lifted ahead of World Cup Read More » Amina, whose name was changed for security reasons, said she sought refuge in a care home in Buraydah, central Saudi Arabia, after being beaten by her father. She found staff at the home to be 'cold and unhelpful', and belittling of her experience. Amina said that the facility asked her and her father to write down 'conditions'. Her conditions included not being beaten or forced into marriage. However, she said once she was released, the beatings continued, and she was later forced into exile. 'I remember being utterly alone and terrified. I felt like a prisoner in my own home, with no one to protect me, no one to defend me,' she said. Another woman told the Guardian that she was held in Dar al-Reaya after she told the police that she had been abused by her father and brothers. She said she was held there until her father agreed for her to be released, despite the fact that her father was the alleged abuser. 'If they are serious about advancing women's rights, they must abolish these discriminatory practices and allow the establishment of genuine shelters that protect, rather than punish, those who have experienced abuse,' Nadyeen Abdulaziz, of Alqst, said. Allegations denied A Saudi spokesperson rejected claims of enforced confinment and mistreatment in the facilities. 'These are not detention centres, and any allegation of abuse is taken seriously and subject to thorough investigation,' the spokesperson told the Guardian. 'Women are free to leave at any time, whether to attend school, work, or other personal activities, and may exit permanently whenever they choose with no need of approval from a guardian or family member.' Concern for Saudi woman held in solitary confinement since February Read More » Since taking de-facto control of the kingdom in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has overseen a widespread crackdown on dissent, even as he pushed several nominally liberalising reforms. Those reforms include allowing women to drive, and relaxing restrictions preventing women from travelling without the consent of a male guardian. However in recent years, Saudi Arabia has jailed several women who have spoken out against women's rights and human rights abuses in the country. In May 2023, Fatima al-Shwarabi was given a 30-year sentence for anonymously tweeting about political prisoners, women's rights and unemployment. Last January, Saudi activist and fitness instructor Manahel al-Otaibi was sentenced to 11 years for promoting women's rights on social media. Salma al-Shehab, a Leeds University doctoral candidate and women's rights activist who was handed down a decades-long sentence for her tweets in 2022, was released this year.
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
Israeli press review: MP glorifies killed contractor for ‘wiping out' Gaza homes
Killed contractor lauded for destroying Gaza The Israeli army announced on Thursday that David Libi, a 19-year-old heavy equipment operator, was killed in an explosion during a military operation in the northern Gaza Strip. Libi, from the settlement of Malachi Shalom in the occupied West Bank, was employed by the Israeli army through Libi Construction and Infrastructure, a company recently sanctioned by the UK. Zvi Sukkot, a member of the Israeli parliament from the Religious Zionist Party, paid tribute to Libi, calling him a 'friend' and praising his role in the destruction of Palestinian homes. 'He fell bravely today fighting against the Nazis in Gaza at the age of 19,' Succot wrote on X, adding: 'With God's help, the State of Israel will avenge his blood.' New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Sukkot emphasised the importance of Libi and other heavy equipment operators in the military campaign, describing them as 'directly responsible for the greatest achievement of the war in wiping out tens of thousands of homes that endangered our fighters and changed the face of the Gaza Strip'. He noted that while they may not receive the same recognition as pilots, 'they are among the people to whom the entire nation of Israel owes the most'. Sukkot also highlighted that many of the operators come from settler communities. In a separate eulogy shared in a settler group chat, Libi and others were described as sending a message to Gaza's residents: 'You have nothing to look for here anymore. The best thing for you would be to find a boat or raft and try to sail to Greece, Europe or Morocco. Because here, you have no future.' Palestinian drivers attacked by football fans Two Palestinian bus drivers were attacked in Jerusalem by Beitar Jerusalem fans on Thursday, following their team's defeat in the Israel State Cup final. Footage of the attack circulated online, but police have yet to arrest any suspects, according to Haaretz. Israeli hooligans provoke clashes in Amsterdam after chanting anti-Palestinian slogans Read More » Ahmad Karain, one of the drivers assaulted, told Haaretz that dozens of Beitar fans 'realised I was an Arab after speaking to me and suddenly began shouting 'Death to Arabs', cursing and attacking me. More and more joined in constantly'. Beitar Jerusalem is a football club known for its association with the Israeli right wing. According to Karain, another driver, Muhammad Sayaj, came to his aid and was also attacked. 'The police only arrived after 20 minutes, maybe even half an hour, and they rescued me from there. 'I was terrified; I feared I might not survive. This isn't the first time drivers have been attacked, but it was the most brutal incident.' In recent years, and especially since the start of the war in Gaza, attacks on Palestinian drivers in Israel have increased. Koach LaOvdim, a workers' union, warned of escalating violence against drivers. 'Every day brings us closer to the murder of a driver or inspector.' Palestinian 'murdered in racist attack' by Jewish Israelis Fouad Alyan, a resident of Beit Safafa in occupied East Jerusalem, was killed last week after allegedly being run over by a Jewish driver. According to eyewitness accounts, Fouad and his cousin were attacked by two Israeli Jews while sitting in a public park in Jerusalem. How racist discourse fuels Israel's settler colonial genocide Read More » Fouad's cousin, Alaa Alyan, told Haaretz: 'Someone came with a cane and started threatening us. We left the park, but they began chasing us in a car and tried to catch us.' The two attempted to escape on Fouad's motorcycle, which was forced on to the pavement. 'The man chasing us accelerated, mounted the pavement and ran us over,' Alaa said. Fouad was critically injured and pronounced dead at the scene, while his cousin sustained minor injuries. Initially, the police treated the incident as a criminal matter rather than a racially motivated attack. Relatives of Fouad told Ynet that the two 'were sitting in a public park when Jewish individuals approached and told them Arabs were not allowed there'. They expressed their 'hope the truth will be known, and that the real story behind this murder, racism, will not be ignored'. Family members described Fouad as 'a respectable man who had good relations with everyone who knew him' and said he was 'murdered in cold blood'.
Middle East Eye
2 hours ago
- Middle East Eye
Israel fires at Palestinian aid seekers as new north Gaza expulsion orders issued
Israeli forces shot and wounded more than 20 Palestinians on Friday as they attempted to receive aid at an US-run food distribution point in central Gaza, amid a worsening humanitarian crisis in the besieged strip. The scenes were "chaotic and uncoordinated" with no effective humanitarian mechanism in place, according to the Palestinian Wafa news agency. Civilians in Gaza have been desperately seeking food supplies, as no essentials or humanitarian aid have entered the area since a complete Israeli siege began on 2 March. According to recent statistics published by the Gaza-based Government Media Office, at least 58 people, including 53 children, have died as a direct result of malnutrition since the start of the war. Meanwhile, a further 242 deaths were due to a lack of food and medicine, with the majority of victims being children and the elderly. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters In a post on Friday, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) noted that its warehouse in Amman, a three-hour drive away from Gaza, contains enough stockpiled aid to last a month for over 200,000 people. The essentials include flour, food parcels, hygiene kits, blankets and medical supplies. "Gaza needs aid at scale - an unhindered, uninterrupted flow of supplies must be allowed in," the agency said. In an interview with MEE Live's Mathilda Mallinson, Palestinian journalist Mohammed Shehada described the Israeli aid distribution centres in Rafah as "heavily militarised concentration camps," expressing widespread fear among Gaza residents. — Middle East Eye (@MiddleEastEye) May 27, 2025 The limited aid distributed this week has been provided by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a scandal-plagued organisation that is a US-Israeli initiative designed to bypass the UN's infrastructure for aid delivery and distribution in the strip. Senior humanitarian officials and aid organisations have condemned the GHF, arguing that a new mechanism is unnecessary, especially with ongoing Israeli interference with aid and continued attacks on civilians waiting at distribution points North Gaza expulsion orders As Israel intensifies its assault on Gaza on the 602nd day of the war, further displacement orders have been issued. Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-speaking spokesperson for the Israeli army, called on Palestinians residing in the areas of Al-Atatra, Jabalia Al-Balad, Shujaiya, Al-Daraj and Al-Zeitoun, located in the north of the Gaza Strip, to flee westward. "From this moment on, the mentioned areas will be considered dangerous combat zones," the post read, adding that the military is expanding its operations in the region. At least 28 Palestinians were killed across the Gaza Strip on Friday morning, following the latest round of Israeli offensives. The death toll is expected to rise as operations intensify. The International Organisation for Migration stated on Tuesday that nearly 180,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been forcibly displaced by recent Israeli military actions. A statement issued on behalf of the Global Camp Coordination and Camp Management Cluster condemned direct attacks on shelters, stating that such incidents had become "common". Ceasefire talks Meanwhile, ceasefire talks have been left in limbo after the United States presented a new proposal that reportedly lacked a guarantee to end the war and ensure the withdrawal of Israeli forces. Gaza is an open graveyard, yet the West still debates whether Israel has gone 'too far' Read More » The White House said Israel had accepted the new proposal, while Hamas confirmed it was still reviewing it. Though the new proposal has not been made public, senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters the group was "surprised" by Israel's response, which he said was "practically the opposite" of what had been agreed and relayed to the American envoy via mediators earlier this week. "The Israeli response contains no commitment to a ceasefire, no withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and keeps Israeli control over the aid entry mechanism," he said. "What Netanyahu is offering is a bad proposal aimed at forcing our people into submission." Hamas official Basem Naim echoed this view, telling Reuters that Israel's response "fundamentally seeks to entrench the occupation and perpetuate policies of killing and starvation, even during what is supposed to be a period of temporary de-escalation". He added that the Hamas leadership was conducting a "thorough and responsible review" of the latest offer.
