TAIPEI (Taiwan News)—Taiwanese doctors volunteering for the international organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) took turns describing challenging work conditions in war-torn Gaza at a press event on Saturday (Nov. 9).
Since the war between Israel and the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas broke out on Oct. 7 last year, the United Nations estimates that about 1.9 million people have been displaced in Gaza.
Hung Shang-kai (洪上凱), an emergency doctor from Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, went to Gaza in July 2023 for his first medical mission. He never anticipated encountering such a large-scale conflict and having to relocate four times in a month, per CNA.
Hung said relocating is something easier said than done. During each move, he had to leave behind the few belongings he brought with him, potentially leaving him with nothing.
As a civilian not exposed to war, Hung said it was hard to comprehend the suffering of the Palestinian people after just one year of warfare. Hung said the pain of displacement and homelessness with no possibility of escape led him to deeply reflect upon his own life.
Similarly, plastic surgeon Wu Yi-chun (鄔逸群), who went to Gaza this July, treated patients with severe injuries and burns from Israel's bombings. He described the floor of the hospital as covered with blood, with crying people and family members everywhere.
"There are many family members of hospital colleagues among the injured," said Wu. He encountered this situation more than once as medical workers had to comfort one another and keep working despite sad news.
Wu said that at least 40,000 people have lost their lives in Gaza. He said that each death was a heartbreaking event, which continues to repeat itself.
Anesthesiologist Hsu Yen-chun (許彥鈞) worked at the Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza in 2020, a more peaceful time as he could travel freely after fishing his work at the hospital, a luxury not enjoyed by Gaza residents. Hsu said that many in Gaza were self-sufficient through farming and fishing, though fishing boats could only fish within a certain area.
Hsu said that after the war broke out, Israel issued strict controls on all humanitarian supplies entering Gaza. Hsu said that many only have 20-30% of the food to survive, leading to widespread suffering.
Ludivine Houdet, Executive Director of Medecins Sans Frontieres Taiwan, said MSF accompanies the vulnerable, the sick, and the injured. She called upon the public to contribute to this humanitarian mission, as medical action during this critical period can make a difference.