Dr Victoria Rose, a consultant plastic surgeon, shares her first-hand account of the war in Gaza, having worked in the region’s hospitals for two periods last year.
The situation in Gaza’s hospitals is beyond description, with dire conditions noted daily. Over 60% of the patients treated were under 15 years old, suffering from severe burns and injuries, having often lost family members during attacks.
IDEALS, a charity that assists medical professionals during crises, brought Dr Rose to Gaza in 2019 and again in 2024. Her missions involved delivering surgical equipment and aiding other healthcare workers with the high volume of trauma cases they faced, ultimately bearing witness to the conditions in the region.
Both the European Gaza Hospital and Nasser Hospital, where Dr Rose worked during her visits, had changed dramatically. Buildings were destroyed, and the population had been displaced, with infrastructure severely damaged and essential supplies lacking.
Despite initial entry denials by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Dr Rose and her team were able to return in May, finding Nasser Hospital to be crucial for providing ongoing care with limited facilities and supplies.
Gaza is severely impacted, with much of it reduced to rubble due to the Israeli strikes. The future and conditions in the region hinge on the actions of all parties involved in the conflict.
Dr Rose’s work with IDEALS and the Lower Limb Reconstruction Programme highlights the medical challenges and humanitarian efforts to assist those affected by the war in Gaza.
