Ari Shapiro, host:
I’m Ari Shapiro in Washington, where a group of doctors were in Congress these days. All of them have provided hospital treatment in Gaza in the last nine months since the start of Israel’s war with Hamas. At a briefing, doctors described the patients they have treated – civilians, including women and children, with accidents that could have been avoided with alternative playgrounds.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
Adam Hamawi: Many of these patients die as soon as they enter the sanatorium. The mortality rate is 80%. The mortality rate in our most recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan was 10%.
SHAPIRO: That’s Dr. Adam Hamawi speaking at the briefing these days. He’s a former US military combat surgeon, and the last time, we spoke to him when he was in Gaza. He’s right here in the studio with us now. It’s perfect to say goodbye face to face.
Hamawi: Thank you very much.
SHAPIRO: What did you want the staff you met with these days to know about your experience in Gaza?
Hamawi: I tried to get them to see how terrible it used to be. Struggle is hell. This is what I’m hearing from everyone and on information, and I take it to heart. I’ve seen it within generations. Although that is past hell.
SHAPIRO: What does past tense really mean? You have enough experience in combat to compare.
Hamawi: The number of civilian casualties is something I have never seen before. The amount of resources we need to deal with them is something I have never experienced before. And it is functional. Normally, civilians are referred to as collateral damage, a highly evil time period, however, they are no longer objective. This is where we will see, consistently, that they are objective. And constantly, resources like scientific aid, food, supplies are being purposefully withheld, which additionally affects their support and their survival.
SHAPIRO: Israel will dispute the claim that it’s working. They will say that Hamas uses hospitals as staging boxes and civilians as human shields. What is your experience in Gaza on Israel’s statements?
Hamawi: So I was in the ECU sanatorium for 21 days. Since January, substitute doctors and nurses have been in hospitals throughout Gaza. And I didn’t see a single weapon. I saw neither a pistol nor a rifle, either by anyone wearing one in the sanatorium or by any of the patients who came in. And again, I am at war. Generally, as such, warring parties generally have a weapon. He has a point. He looks like a fighter. And my whole life there, even outside the sanatorium in the direct section of the complex, there was somehow a negative military presence. So when I look at that and I don’t have any proof and I saw it with my own eyes, I have to confuse it.
SHAPIRO: Can you expand on what we heard you say in the piece that you just said in the briefing, that people are coming up with accidents that could have been avoided during other wars? For you as a health care provider, knowing that in an alternative time you might be able to deal with someone who may not survive the trauma in this case, what benefit does that give you?
Hamawi: Obviously, it’s like tying your hands behind your back – so you want to help them. I’m ruthless, the talents are there, to do what we want to do. What is missing is the support around it. I am ruthless, as a health care provider, when I move into a sanatorium, it is simply no longer me. This is the entire staff. I have a perfect tool that works with me. I have nurses, I have a group of workers, I have equipment. It’s unusual to be in a situation where you don’t have any of these, at all.
I am merciless, they have already come to a halt due to the environment of malnutrition. You proceed there, you do not have a vacant position. You don’t have antibiotics, you don’t have pain medications. I am heartless, mainly, the upcoming surgical procedure, he is getting Tylenol. I’m being ruthless, it’s helping our complications a little bit right here, but, you’re resolving bones, you’re taking care of burns, you’re doing those huge operations, usually they have to take Tylenol to deal with them. Was given.
SHAPIRO: You’re best known for tending to Senator Tammy Duckworth, Democrat of Illinois, when she was injured in Iraq. And when you got stuck in Gaza because of the Rafah border closure, he started yelling to try to get you out. Now you are around for a while again. I’m curious, have you ever met him? Did you ever get in touch again?
Hamawi: Certainly, this is one of the most important first meetings for which I have come to Washington, the purpose of which is to thank them and at the same time to invite them for assistance. And that happened to be our first face-to-face meeting after last two decades.
SHAPIRO: Since Iraq?
Hamawi: Yes.
SHAPIRO: Wow.
Hamawi: We spoke on the telephone, and we have been in touch on every occasion, even if it was our first face-to-face matter.
SHAPIRO: What was it like?
Hamawi: It used to be absolutely true. Ruthless as I am, I used to take great pleasure in seeing the results of my drawings. You know, when I was in Iraq, I assisted a lot of carrier men and infantrymen and civilians and enemy combatants, and we never knew what happened. Although that was one story I knew I had the rest made up. And I’m sure there are others too.
And that’s what, when we look at Gaza and what’s going on – like, how many potential leaders, how many potential people who can remain, can actually help the population in Gaza and help the situation – how many people can we Hitting and running because we are not ready to survive? And I know – I’m being cruel, it’s amazing to watch him. But when she was injured in Gaza these days, I don’t think she would have survived with her injuries. And this is where, once again, I feel helpless because we all know we will be able to make a living.
SHAPIRO: Dr. Adam Hamawi, thanks for coming. It’s absolutely fine to talk to you.
Hamawi: Thanks for having me.
Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Consult our web page phrases’ virtue and permission pages at www.npr.org for additional data.
NPR transcripts are made hastily on the last date through NPR contractor. This newsletter is probably not in its final form and may be updated or modified in the future. Accuracy and availability will likely vary. The official document of NPR’s programming is the audio document.
Discover more from news2source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
