The Plight of Palestinian Doctors Disappeared Into Israeli Detention
It’s been two months since Osaid Alser has heard from his cousin, Khaled Al Serr, a surgeon at Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis. Before late March, they had been in regular contact — or as regular as the shredded communication infrastructure would allow. Al Serr had created a telemedicine WhatsApp group where he and Osaid, a surgical resident in the U.S., recruited doctors from stateside, the U.K., and Europe to give advice to their overstretched colleagues in Gaza.
Al Serr was a natural vessel for the collective medical knowledge of the group chat. In February, the Israeli military invaded Nasser Hospital, leaving it hollowed out, just one of the destroyed health care centers in a medical system savaged by an overwhelming caseload and a relentless military assault by Israel.
Despite the challenges, Al Serr maintained some optimism. His last post on Instagram was uploaded in mid-March, showing the exterior of the hospital from the day before, captioned with a triumphant message about restoring electricity to the hospital. However, six days later, Israeli forces stormed the hospital again, and Osaid’s last exchange with Al Serr was a few days before that.
Reports emerged of doctors being detained and going missing in north Gaza as early as November. The World Health Organization reported that at least 214 medical staff from Gaza have been detained by the Israeli military. In early May, the death of Adnan Al-Bursh, a well-known surgeon and head of orthopedics at Al-Shifa Hospital, raised concerns about the treatment of medical staff in Israeli detention facilities.
The situation for medical workers in Gaza has been dire, with at least 493 Palestinian medical workers killed since October 7. Hospitals have been systematically targeted by the Israel Defense Forces, with claims that Hamas operates within these facilities, which medical staff have denied. Recent attacks on Kamal Adwan Hospital and Al-Awda Hospital have resulted in medical staff being detained.
The story of Khaled Hamouda, another surgeon detained by Israeli forces, sheds light on the harrowing experiences faced by medical workers in Gaza. Hamouda was taken into custody after an airstrike on his family home, where he lost several relatives. He described being blindfolded, bound, and taken to an unknown location by Israeli soldiers.
Hamouda’s ordeal included being forced to remain on his knees for hours and enduring physical abuse when soldiers discovered he was a doctor. He witnessed the mistreatment of Dr. Adnan Al-Bursh while in detention and received a message from him about his mother’s well-being.
The targeting of medical workers in Gaza is not coincidental but a deliberate strategy to disrupt healthcare services and instill fear among the population. Despite the challenges they face, doctors like Hamouda continue to provide essential care to those in need.
The disappearance of Khaled Al Serr and hundreds of other Palestinian doctors into Israeli detention centers highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Their dedication to saving lives and advocating for their patients underscores the importance of protecting healthcare workers in conflict zones.
As Osaid waits for news of his cousin’s fate, the uncertainty and silence surrounding Al Serr’s disappearance serve as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by medical workers in Gaza. The hope for peace and a return to normalcy remains distant as long as doctors like Al Serr are missing, detained, or subjected to abuse.
The plight of Palestinian doctors disappeared into Israeli detention sheds light on the challenges faced by healthcare workers in conflict zones and underscores the urgent need for international attention and accountability for their safety and well-being.