A Group of American Doctors Went to Gaza for Free Surgeries for Patients

A team of orthopedic surgeons from the United States has traveled to Gaza to perform free joint replacement surgeries for patients and to train local doctors. Khalid Saleh, the head of the Fajr nonprofit organization in the U.S., stated that the purpose of this visit is to assist patients suffering from joint problems and chronic pain, as well as those who use wheelchairs or crutches. During this five-day mission, which is conducted at the invitation of Hamas's Ministry of Health in Gaza, 150 patients will undergo surgery, local surgeons will receive training, and vital equipment worth four million dollars will be donated. Saleh expressed hope that the hope of these individuals to become active members of their families and communities would be restored as he left Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza. Halima Abu Haya, a 57-year-old woman, told Reuters that she has been waiting for knee replacement surgery for three years because, on one hand, the cost of the procedure outside Gaza is very high, and on the other hand, the number of patients waiting for this surgery in Gaza hospitals is large. Gaza, which is controlled by the Islamist group Hamas, has a crisis-stricken economy due to economic sanctions and years of blockade, and its healthcare system struggles with numerous challenges. Hamas has sentenced seven Palestinians to death on charges of 'collaborating with Israel'. Hamas is unable to pay its employees in Gaza. A Palestinian driver injured eight people in Tel Aviv by attacking pedestrians.