A State of Passion review: The story of Gaza doctor Ghassan Abu-Sittah is harrowing, uplifting and a must-see

The National

07-03-2025

For many of us around the world, when the Israel-Gaza war began, we asked ourselves and our loved ones one question: What can we do to ease the suffering? Overcome with compassion, we did what we could – though it never felt like enough. We donated clothes, food and money. We raised our voices. We took to the streets. We grew more discerning about which brands we supported. And we found new heroes to admire – those in Gaza who, in the face of unfathomable conditions, continued to risk their lives to save the men, women and children caught up in a siege of grotesque brutality. Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah was one of those heroes. Many of us first saw him on our screens during a press conference outside Al Ahli Hospital on October 17, 2023, as he defiantly told the world about the explosion that had killed hundreds at the institution just two hours earlier. Flanked by his colleagues, Abu-Sittah spoke unwaveringly amid the wreckage: 'This is a massacre. And more hospitals will be targeted.' A State of Passion, directed by Carol Mansour (Aida Returns) and Muna Khalidi, tells his story. But more than just reportage of the 43 days Abu-Sittah spent struggling to save lives in Gaza during the early days of the war, it's an exploration of character. Through interviews with the doctor himself and his loved ones, Mansour and Khalidi explore the mystery behind his actions. After all, what kind of a man leaves behind his comfortable life in the United Kingdom to travel 3,500km into a war zone, doing everything in his power to save the lives of as many men, women and children as possible – and turning himself into a target in the process? As it turns out, he's a more complicated man than you may imagine. For one, he does not solely live his life for humanitarian causes. The British-Palestinian doctor has been an activist on behalf of the cause for nearly his entire life, travelling to Gaza nearly every time lives were at great risk. But he's also a plastic surgeon, whose most marketable skill is his ability to lift upper lips without a noticeable scar. He's as conflicted about it as you can imagine. But unlike his past emergency trips to Palestine, Abu-Sittah's life was never the same after he returned from Gaza in 2023. Because he spoke out so publicly, he was now one of the most recognisable figures of the war, which won him new enemies – people who tried to discredit him and ruin his career. Watching Mansour and Khalidi's film is as painful as you can imagine – particularly as the traumas of the war have not yet begun to heal. Footage of dead children being moved around in blue plastic bags, of open wounds and the emotional agony of those processing the loss of their family members is no less painful to watch now than it has been every day on social media. For that reason, I can understand those, particularly Palestinian friends of mine, who are not ready to watch such a film as this. But rest assured, this is not just a story of suffering – it's also a story of hope. It's a testament to the resilience of the Palestinian people. It's not just about one great man. It's about the people around him that give him the strength to be great – strength the film also gives to its audience. And it's also laugh-out-loud funny at times. Abu-Sittah and his wife are charming, eccentric and have a disarming, unmistakably Palestinian sense of humour. These are people you'll enjoy spending time with, who will remind you of the good in the world and motivate you to keep fighting for what's right. You may walk out from the theatre feeling heavier on your feet, but the film reminds you that this is a weight that we share together, and thus a weight that's easier to carry.