British Surgeon: Over Half of My Patients in Gaza Were Children Under 16
A British surgeon, Dr. Victoria Rose, volunteered in Gaza and performed a large number of surgeries on children under 16.
Common injuries included bullet wounds, shrapnel injuries, and burns.
Many patients were unable to heal due to malnutrition.
During her two-week stay at the European Hospital in Khan Younis, she only operated on one person older than herself, finding this to be the most shocking experience.
The majority of her patients were younger than her, with a significant proportion being under 6 years old.
Injuries required removing foreign bodies, reconstructing facial defects, and removing bullets from jaws.
During a visit to the European Hospital in Gaza, doctors, including Rose and Graeme Groom, witnessed severe health issues among patients due to malnutrition and infection.
The area was under Israeli military assault in Khan Younis, resulting in an influx of wounded patients.
The doctors described seeing corpses piled up in trucks and cars, and those seeking refuge in makeshift tents were being forced to move due to the need for new graves.
The overall situation was marked by a high level of infection, low protein and hemoglobin levels, and a lack of essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals for the patients.
The representative of the World Health Organization in Palestine, Rik Peeperkorn, described the destruction of Khan Younis as "disproportionate" and "unimaginable." He reported that the city is now mostly rubble and dirt, with intact buildings and roads being rare.
Three hospitals in the city have been rendered non-functional due to fighting.
The cemetery is expanding as the newly dead are being buried, displacing the shelters of the barely living.