A ceasefire came into effect in Gaza on 19th January 2025. A surge of supplies entered Gaza post ceasefire, enabling an increase in the humanitarian response to critical needs, but the entry of all aid was stopped by the Israeli authorities three weeks ago and the ceasefire tragically ended on 18th March 2025. In the past week nearly 800 Palestinians have been killed and over 1,600 injured.
Debris management, retrieval of bodies and addressing explosive ordnance contamination across Gaza are some of the current priorities, together with the immediate resumption of the ceasefire and humanitarian aid, and reinstatement of essential services.
Since the war began in October 2023 we have deployed eight teams of between one and four specialist surgeons and anaesthetists to the European and Nasser hospitals, both in Khan Younis. In total 23 specialists have been deployed to date, with a highly experienced orthopaedic surgeon at the European hospital right now.
We have been able to support local colleagues, exhausted and fearful for their families, with the emergency surgical management of survivors of major trauma (predominantly blast and crush injuries), and the subsequent management of patients with complex limb injuries. So many of these patients have lost family members and have devastating, disabling wounds, requiring multiple operations and lifelong rehabilitation.
