Emotional stories from Gaza – lecture on the CIOMR summer congress
Gilbert is very critical to the weapons used by the Israelis. He performed surgery on persons who had been molested by DIME-bombs when he worked in a hospital in Gaza.
-Their legs were cut right off, just like an axe had been used, Gilbert tells. He tells that people who were hit by these came to the hospital with big wounds which are very difficult to treat.
-The bombs result in big burns and destruction of tissue, tells Gilbert.
Drones are also used diligently by the Israelis. -Drones are operated from the ground. They can therefore, unlike ordinary airplanes, come back to the place where they dropped the bombs to see the results. This can lead to huge psychological problems for the population on the ground, he says.
The doctor enlightened the audience that about 80 to 90 percent of the Palestinians, who were killed in Gaza from December 2008 to January 2009, were civilians.
The emergency-room had often more patients than there was space.
-We had two patients in every room. The doctors worked on two patients at the same time. Three patients were being operated in the corridor. Doctors are used to work quickly and efficiently, says Gilbert.
One of the challenges they had, were that the Palestinian doctors could happen to find some of their own relatives in the hospital beds. Gilbert performed surgery on one of his colleagues’ nephew. Unfortunately, the little boy didn’t make it.
-I put my arm around my colleague and started to cry. He managed to stay calm and told me that we had to continue, tells Gilbert.
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