Plastic surgeon braves perilous conditions to volunteer in Gaza

- 'I think it is very important. I mean as a Muslim, we feel that we are connected as one body, and when part of it hurts, we all feel (the pain),' Hamawy says

NEW YORK

Adam Hisham Hamawy, a plastic surgeon who has practiced in Princeton, US, for 15 years, plans to volunteer in war-ravaged Gaza, where overwhelmed hospitals and exhausted people are in dire need of support.

As Israel, accused of genocide, mounts its indiscriminate attacks on Gaza’s civilians, aid, and medical workers, health care professionals from around the world volunteer in the Palestinian enclave at great personal risk.

Hamawy, a member of the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA), is about to become one of them as he prepares to volunteer in Gaza for two weeks.

He said he wanted to go there since day one after Israel launched its brutal attack on Oct. 7, and finally found the opportunity through the World Health Organization (WHO).

"I've been volunteering for humanitarian causes for many years. I was in Haiti in 2010 immediately after the earthquake. Even as a medical student, I helped Syrian refugees during that civil war," he added.

He said people feel helpless about Gaza and everyone is trying to do something through protests or donations.

Emphasizing his responsibility as a surgeon, Hamawy said: "I think it is very important. I mean as a Muslim, we feel that we are connected as one body, and when part of it hurts, we all feel (the pain)."

He mentioned that while preparing for his mission, he had the opportunity to meet some of the doctors who had volunteered in Gaza.

“They are facing extremely intense workloads, with many burns and open wounds (patients) requiring continuous treatment,” he said.

"People over there are overwhelmed and they need all the support that we can give."

Hamawy, a father of four, acknowledged his family's concerns but said he was determined to leave for Gaza.

He underlined the destructive impact of war on both sides and lamented the lack of recognition of this reality by many.

Despite the risks, he is prepared to share his firsthand experiences upon his return.

About the possibility of not being able to return from Gaza, he said: "This can always happen, it's not just about going to Gaza.”

“As I said, anything can happen to me, a truck could hit me, you don't have time to prepare for these things. So, this (journey) makes you think a little more about our mortality," said Hamawy.