Testimony of Palestinian surgeon visiting Gaza: We see news of burns caused by white phosphorus bombs

Ghassan Abu Sitta, a British Palestinian surgeon, gave his testimony about the poor conditions in the hospital at a press conference at the Center for International Justice for Palestinians in London. Gaza Stripand what he said were the sufferings of the sick and wounded who had been bombarded with white phosphorus bombs.

He said he visited the Gaza Strip on October 9 because he knew Gaza would face brutal Israeli attacks, confirming that he traveled Shifa HospitalHe joined a surgical team operating on casualties of the Israeli aggression, noting that 160 doctors and nurses had lost their lives in Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip.

Regarding the situation at Al-Shifa Hospital where he joined, the doctor said that most of the injured arriving at Al-Shifa Hospital were caused by the explosion, most of them on the face, noting that 45% of those who suffered burns were children.

He confirmed that the burns were caused by white phosphorous bombs and that the burns reached the bones of the injured Palestinians, and stressed that he had treated people who had been burned as a result of the use of chemical weapons by the occupying forces.For white phosphorus This leaves holes in the body.

The British surgeon said they were treating casualties with strange injuries in hospitals, some of whom appeared to have been beaten with swords, and stressed that between 700 and 900 children had their limbs amputated.

In his testimony, Abu Sita discussed the occupation forces’ attack on Shifa Hospital and confirmed that he heard a phone call from the Israeli army informing the hospital director that the hospital would be targeted if it was not evacuated within two hours.

Surgery without anesthesia

The doctor added that he was then taken by ambulance to the National Baptist Hospital run by the World Council of Churches, where he noticed that the situation at Al-Shifa Hospital was exactly the same as that at Al-Ahli Hospital, as it had become In the camp for displaced persons, patients lay on the ground and the injured waited for long periods for surgery.

He disclosed that the next day, Dr. Maher Ayad Badero, director of National Baptist Hospital, received a call from the Israeli army ordering him to evacuate patients and evacuate the hospital, and confirmed that Israeli drones subsequently targeted the hospital. Missiles were launched. Dr. Maher received another call from the same officer, berating him for not evacuating, saying, “Unless he evacuates the hospital, the hospital will be targeted and bombed.”

He explained that doctors continued to work after the management of Ahli Baptist Hospital received assurances from the Bishop of London, but the hospital was bombed by Israel, causing the ceiling of the hospital’s operating room to collapse where surgical procedures were being performed. He stressed that Israeli tanks surrounded the hospital and there were many bodies in the yard.

Among the information the doctor gave in his testimony was that he saw injured Palestinians shot by occupying army sniper bullets in the Gaza Strip, and that the doctor was forced to perform multiple surgeries without anesthesia, including one for nine people. patients undergo surgery. year old girl.