When Texas neurologist Hamid Kadiwala told his parents he was heading to Gaza to volunteer at a hospital there, they begged him to reconsider.

“Why would you take that risk?” they asked.What about his fort Worth medical practice? His wife? His four children?

But Kadiwala, 42, had been deeply shaken by images from Gaza of mass death and destruction and felt a duty to act. Israel’s siege on teh small, densely populated Gaza Strip was “a history-shaking event,” kadiwala said. “I want my kids to be able to say that their father was one of those who tried to help.”

Kadiwala is one of dozens of American doctors and nurses who have worked in the Gaza Strip since 2023, when Israel began bombing the enclave in retaliation for the deadly Hamas attacks of Oct. 7.

California’s Hospitals Are Overwhelmed by Respiratory Viruses, Especially Among Children

California hospitals are facing a surge in respiratory illnesses, especially among children, leading to overcrowded emergency rooms and strained resources. A potent mix of viruses – including RSV (respiratory syncytial virus),influenza,and COVID-19 – is driving the increase in cases,pushing the state’s healthcare system to its limits.

The situation is particularly dire for young children. Hospitals are reporting a dramatic rise in RSV cases, which can cause severe breathing difficulties in infants and toddlers.Manny facilities are operating at or near capacity, forcing them to divert patients or set up makeshift treatment areas.

“We are seeing a level of respiratory illness that we haven’t seen in years,” said Dr. Ilan Shapiro, a pediatrician at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. “Our emergency departments are overwhelmed, and we are struggling to find enough beds for all the patients who need care.”

The surge is attributed to a combination of factors, including waning immunity from previous infections and lower vaccination rates. Public health officials are urging parents to get their children vaccinated against the flu and COVID-19, and to take precautions to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, such as frequent handwashing and staying home when sick.

The state is working to address the crisis by providing additional resources to hospitals and increasing testing capacity. Though, health officials warn that the situation is highly likely to worsen in the coming weeks, and are urging Californians to do their part to protect themselves and others.

The impact extends beyond hospital capacity. Limited resources mean some child patients are being forced to share beds or lie on makeshift mattresses in hospital corridors, highlighting the severity of the strain on the healthcare system. The situation underscores the importance of preventative measures and continued vigilance as the respiratory virus season progresses.

death in gaza

The explosions began each morning shortly before the call to prayer.

“Within 20 minutes, there would be 150 people sprawled wall-to-wall with serious injuries,” said Mark Perlmutter, an orthopedic surgeon from North Carolina who has been to Gaza twice, and who was working at nasser in March in the violent days after a ceasefire broke.

Perlmutter, 70, had volunteered on more than 40 humanitarian missions: in Haiti after its devastating earthquake, in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and in New York after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Nothing prepared him for Gaza.

Hospitals stank of sewage and death. Doctors operated without antibiotics or soap. Never before had he seen so many children among the casualties. The hospital filled with shell-shocked kids who had been wrenched from collapsed buildings and others with bullet wounds in their chests and heads.

“I would step over babies that were dying,” he said. “I would see their blood expanding on the floor, knowing that I had no chance of saving them.”

A Doctor’s Changed Perspective: From Israel Supporter to Gaza Advocate

In one haunting experience, an injured boy lying on the ground reached for Perlmutter’s leg, to weak to talk. Perlmutter knew it was too late for the boy, but that other patients still had a shot at survival.

“I had to pull my pant leg away to get to one I could save,” he said.

Perlmutter is Jewish and until visiting Gaza was a supporter of Israel. Around his neck he wears as a pendant a mezuzah, which contains a small scroll with verses from the Torah. It was a gift from his late father, a doctor who survived the Holocaust.

But working in Gaza changed him.

After treating so many kids with gunshot wounds, he became convinced that Israelis were deliberately targeting children, which the Israeli military denies.

As he toiled, he and another doctor, California surgeon Feroze Sidhwa, began taking photos of the carnage. Together they would go on to publish essays in U.S. media outlets detailing what they had seen and to send letters to American leaders begging for an arms embargo. Sidhwa would conduct a poll of dozens of American doctors, nurses and medics who said they, too, had treated preteen children who had been shot in the head.

Activism was a new calling for Perlmutter. He knew it might cost him relationships with loved ones who supported Israel and possibly even patients at his med

Gaza’s doctors and nurses are working in horrific conditions, pleading for help

By Noha Batran and Laura King

GAZA CITY – Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta, a plastic surgeon, has spent weeks operating on patients in Gaza’s overwhelmed hospitals, often by the light of his phone. He’s treated children with burns covering half their bodies, pulled shrapnel from skulls, and performed amputations without adequate anesthesia.

“It’s beyond anything I’ve ever seen,” Abu Sitta said in a phone interview from Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical facility. “The scale of the injuries is immense, and the resources are dwindling by the hour.”

Gaza’s healthcare system, already weakened by years of blockade, is on the brink of collapse as Israel continues its bombardment of the territory in response to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7. Hospitals are overflowing with the wounded, running critically low on supplies like bandages, antibiotics, and fuel to power generators.

Doctors and nurses are working around the clock, often without sleep, and are forced to make agonizing decisions about who receives care. They are treating patients on the floor, in corridors, and even in parking lots.

“We are facing a catastrophic situation,” said Dr. Mona Al-Kholy, a physician at the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza. “We are doing our best, but it’s not enough. We need help, we need supplies, we need a ceasefire.”

The situation is particularly dire for those with chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and heart disease, who are unable to access regular treatment. Pregnant women are also at risk, as hospitals struggle to provide adequate prenatal and postnatal care.

The World Health Organization has warned that Gaza’s healthcare system is “on its knees.” It has called for an immediate ceasefire and the urgent delivery of medical supplies and fuel.

But aid is slow to arrive, and the needs are immense.Doctors and nurses in Gaza are pleading with the international community to intervene and save lives.

“We are losing patients every day as of the lack of resources,” Abu Sitta said. “We are watching people die who could have been saved.”

He paused, his voice cracking with emotion. “This is a humanitarian disaster of epic proportions.”

Gaza’s Doctors and Nurses Work Around the Clock, Facing Unachievable Choices

By Nidal Al-Mughrabi and Emily rose

GAZA – The stench of death is a constant companion at Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza city. Dr. Bashar al-Khatib, a surgeon, says he hasn’t slept more than a few hours a night since the war began. He operates by the dim glow of emergency lights, conserving power, while the sounds of explosions echo through the halls.

“Every day is a triage situation,” he said, his voice raspy with exhaustion. “We are forced to prioritize. Who has the highest chance of survival? Who needs the most immediate care? It’s a decision no doctor should ever have to make.”

Gaza’s healthcare system, already crippled by years of blockade, is on the brink of collapse. Hospitals are overwhelmed with the wounded,lacking essential supplies like bandages,antibiotics,and pain medication. Fuel is critically low, threatening to shut down generators that power life-saving equipment.

Nurses like Rana Abu Sallah are working tirelessly, tending to horrific injuries – burns, shrapnel wounds, and broken bones. She describes scenes of children arriving with injuries so severe, she can barely recognize their faces.

“We are doing everything we can, but it’s not enough,” Abu Sallah said, tears welling in her eyes. “We are losing so many people, so many children.It’s heartbreaking.”

The doctors and nurses aren’t just treating physical wounds. They are also grappling with the psychological trauma of witnessing so much suffering. Many have lost family members and friends in the conflict.

“We are all grieving,” said Dr. al-Khatib. “But we have to keep going. We have to be strong for our patients. They are counting on us.”

Despite the overwhelming challenges, the medical staff in Gaza remain steadfast in their commitment to saving lives. They are the last line of defense for a population caught in the crossfire, working with unwavering dedication in the face of unimaginable adversity. But they warn that without a ceasefire and a massive influx of aid, the healthcare system will soon be unable to cope, and the death toll will continue to rise.

“It felt like a moral imperative”: An American nurse’s harrowing experience in Gaza

By Nina Agrawal

Gaza City, Gaza Strip – Andee Vaughan, a traveling nurse from Oregon, had spent years responding to disasters around the world – a hurricane in Puerto rico, an earthquake in Nepal, a cholera outbreak in yemen. But nothing prepared her for the scale of suffering she encountered in Gaza.

“It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” Vaughan said, her voice cracking with emotion during a recent video call. “The level of trauma, the sheer number of people needing care, the lack of resources… it was overwhelming.”

Vaughan arrived in Gaza in November, volunteering with the Medical Aid for Palestinians organization. She worked at Al-Quds Hospital, one of the few remaining functional medical facilities in the besieged territory. There,she treated a relentless stream of patients – children with shrapnel wounds,mothers who had lost limbs,and families grappling with the psychological scars of war.

“Every day was a triage situation,” she said. “We were constantly making impossible decisions about who to prioritize,knowing that we couldn’t help everyone.”

The hospital was overcrowded, understaffed, and constantly running low on essential supplies. Vaughan and her colleagues often had to perform surgeries by the light of their phones, using makeshift bandages and limited anesthesia.

“We were doing the best we could with what we had, but it felt like we were just putting a Band-Aid on a gaping wound,” she said.

The situation outside the hospital was even more dire. Vaughan witnessed entire neighborhoods reduced to rubble, families displaced from their homes, and a growing sense of desperation among the population.

Just a third of Gaza’s 176 hospitals and clinics are functional, and nearly 1,700 healthcare workers have been killed as the war began, according to the World Health Organization.

It is not lost on Vaughan that most of the weapons used in those attacks come from the United States, which has provided Israel $21.7 billion in military assistance as the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, according to a study by the Costs of War project at Brown University.

U.S. involvement in the war is what prompted vaughan to volunteer in Gaza in the first place. “I was there in some ways to make amends for the damage that we have done,” she said.

Vaughan was evacuated from Gaza last month, bidding goodbye to colleagues and patients who were so malnourished their bones jutted from their skin like tent poles.

She was ferried to Jordan, where on her first morning since leaving Gaza she went down to breakfast, saw a buffet overflowing with food, and began to sob.

Coming home

The abundance of food was a stark contrast to the starvation she had witnessed in Gaza. “I felt so guilty,” she said. “I kept thinking about the children I had left behind, wondering if they were even going to survive.”

Back in the united States, Vaughan is struggling to readjust to life. She is haunted by the images of suffering she witnessed in Gaza and grappling with the moral weight of her experience.

“It felt like a moral imperative to go,” she said. “But coming home is hard.You want to tell people what’s happening, but it’s hard to convey the scale of the tragedy. And you feel helpless, knowing that the situation is only getting worse.”

Vaughan hopes that her story will raise awareness about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and inspire others to take action. She is advocating for a ceasefire, increased humanitarian aid, and an end to U.S. military assistance to Israel.

“We have a responsibility to do everything we can to help the people of gaza,” she said. “They deserve to live in peace and dignity, just like anyone else.”

After three tours in Gaza,Dallas emergency room doctor Bilal Piracha now works with a kaffiyeh draped over his scrubs.

The black-and-white scarf, a symbol of Palestinian liberation, often sparks comments from patients, some of them disapproving. Piracha,45,welcomes the conversations. He sees it as an prospect to share what he’s witnessed in the besieged territory and to advocate for the Palestinian people.

“I want people to ask,” Piracha said. “I want them to know what’s happening.”

Piracha is one of a growing number of American doctors and nurses who have traveled to Gaza to provide medical aid in recent years, and who are now grappling with how to respond to the escalating violence between Israel and Hamas. Many are speaking out, sharing their experiences and calling for a ceasefire and increased humanitarian aid.

The situation in Gaza is dire.Since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, which killed more than 1,400 people, Israel has launched a relentless bombing campaign and ground offensive, killing more than 8,300 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Hospitals are overwhelmed, supplies are dwindling, and medical workers are struggling to cope with the sheer number of casualties.

“It’s a catastrophe,” said Dr. Adam Hamawy, an emergency medicine physician from chicago who has volunteered with the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund in Gaza. “The level of destruction is unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

Hamawy,36,has been to Gaza three times,most recently in October. He described hospitals running out of fuel, forcing them to shut down essential services. He saw children with horrific injuries, and witnessed the constant fear and trauma of the civilian population.

“You’re working in a system that’s on the verge of collapse,” Hamawy said.”You’re making impossible decisions about who gets care and who doesn’t.”

Dr. Hind Kablawi, a Palestinian American emergency physician from Houston, has been working to raise awareness and funds for medical relief efforts in gaza.She said the situation is particularly devastating for children.

“They’re losing their parents, their homes, their schools,” Kablawi said. “They’re traumatized beyond belief.”

Kablawi, 42, has family in Gaza, and she has been unable to reach them for days. She fears for their safety and worries about the long-term consequences of the conflict.

“This is not just a medical crisis,” Kablawi said. “It’s a humanitarian crisis. It’s a crisis of conscience.”

For Piracha,his experiences in Gaza have profoundly changed his perspective. He said he used to be hesitant to discuss politics with patients,but now he feels a moral obligation to speak out.

“I’ve seen the human cost of this conflict firsthand,” Piracha said. “I can’t stand by and watch without doing something.”

He knows that his kaffiyeh may not change anyone’s mind, but he hopes it will at least spark a conversation. He believes that understanding and empathy are essential to resolving the conflict and achieving a just and lasting peace.

Gaza doctors and Nurses Work Through Unimaginable conditions

Gaza’s healthcare system is on the brink of collapse. Doctors and nurses are working tirelessly, facing impossible choices with limited resources. The ongoing conflict has created a humanitarian crisis, and medical professionals are bearing the brunt of it.

Dr. Bilal piracha, a surgeon at Al-Aqsa hospital, describes scenes of overwhelming trauma. He and his colleagues are treating hundreds of wounded patients daily, often performing surgeries in hallways due to a lack of operating rooms. “It’s beyond anything I’ve ever experienced,” he says. “We’re constantly making decisions about who gets care first, knowing that some people will inevitably not survive.”

The shortages are critical. Essential medicines, bandages, and even basic supplies like gloves are running low. Power outages are frequent, jeopardizing life support systems and hindering surgical procedures. Hospitals are also struggling to provide adequate sanitation, increasing the risk of infection.

Nurses like Rana Abu Samaan are equally stretched thin. She’s responsible for caring for dozens of patients, providing not only medical attention but also emotional support. “People are terrified,” Abu Samaan explains. “They’ve lost their homes,their families. We try to offer comfort, but it’s hard when we’re so overwhelmed ourselves.”

International aid organizations are attempting to deliver supplies, but access remains a major challenge. The ongoing fighting and restrictions on movement make it difficult to get essential resources to those who need them most. Many healthcare workers are also struggling with their own personal losses and trauma, yet they continue to show up every day.

The situation is unsustainable. Without a important increase in aid and a cessation of hostilities, gaza’s healthcare system will likely collapse entirely, leaving countless people without access to life-saving care. The dedication of these doctors and nurses is remarkable, but even their resilience has limits.