Hope for Gaza’s medical students despite Israeli bombing | Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Gaza City – Before October 2023, Ezzeddin Lulu, or simply “Ezz,” liked to sketch people he saw on the street.

With his charcoal pencil and sketch pad, Ezz – a fifth-year medical student at the Islamic University in Gaza City – walked around sketching improvised portraits of people going about their daily lives.

“I focused on those who I felt needed a smile to ease their worries,” Ezz, 22, said via WhatsApp.

His subjects returned Ezz’s joy, as his social media videos showed.

In one photo, an elderly woman selling toys on the street exclaimed with a broad smile: “Oh, Habibi! May God protect you and grant you everything you wish for.”

shift

One day after the start of Israel’s war against Gaza, on October 8, the building in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood where Ezz and his family lived was bombed.

Miraculously, Ezz, his parents, his older brother and his brother’s young family survived the attack.

“First, Israeli warplanes bombed the roof and we ran out,” Ezz recalled. “A few hours later, they bombed again and reduced (the building) to rubble.”

“The place where I lived for 22 years… the happiest moments of my life, gone in an instant,” Ezz sighed. “I couldn’t take anything with me except my phone and some documents.”

The family sought refuge in his grandparents’ house in Remal – a now-demolished neighborhood that was the cultural and economic center of Gaza, with its bustling streets, markets, cafes, restaurants and a strong sense of community.

Amid the loss and destruction, Ezz felt called to volunteer at al-Shifa Hospital, even though he knew it meant he “could be surrounded or attacked at any time, especially since (Israel) … said al-Shifa was a target.” His family supported him despite their own fears.

On October 10, Ezz was placed on the emergency list as a doctor, which meant a demanding overnight transfer.

“People needed me the most at that time, but I didn’t know how hard it would be,” Ezz said. “But I was overwhelmed with pride because I knew I could help.”

“We either didn’t have enough supplies or we didn’t have enough. In some cases … we couldn’t treat someone even though we had the capacity because their case was hopeless,” he said.

Loss

In November, al-Shifa was surrounded by tanks and all residents were ordered to leave the city under indiscriminate artillery and bomb fire.

“There were about 7,000 people in the building – patients, doctors, nurses and displaced persons. Many doctors left the building.

“Some patients couldn’t make it, so some doctors and I decided to stay,” said Ezz, who worked around the clock.

On November 10, Israeli tanks sealed off the hospital and bombed it so heavily that communications networks collapsed and Ezz lost contact with his family.

The siege of al-Shifa lasted ten days and is something Ezz will “never forget.” The electricity was out, oxygen supplies were running low and fuel was almost gone.

“Departments, halls, corridors… everywhere was dark,” he said.

“I witnessed eight patients die while hooked up to oxygen machines because I couldn’t help them,” Ezz said sadly.

“We lived on dates and water, fasted all day and broke our fast with a small cup of water and a date. It was not Ramadan, we were fasting to ask God to ease our hardship and to stretch the limited supply of water and dates as long as possible,” Ezz said.

Amidst his fear, exhaustion and hunger, Ezz received a call at 9 p.m. on November 13 from Dr. Fadel Naeem, the director of al-Ahli Baptist Hospital.

“May God reward you richly for your loss,” Naeem said. “Your family was the target… they are under the rubble.”

Indescribable

“I could never describe how I felt,” Ezz said.

Ezz’s father Samir, his 32-year-old brother Huzaifa, his two-month pregnant wife Rana and their five-year-old daughter Reem were killed in an Israeli attack. Two of his uncles and their families as well as his grandmother were also killed.

When Naeem said, “Your mother is still alive,” Ezz felt life return to him.

“I left the phone,” he said, “went to ablution and prayed to God and thanked him that he had at least spared my mother.

“The grief of not being able to say goodbye to my family, especially my father – my best friend and biggest supporter – has hurt me,” Ezz said.

When the Israeli army forced all residents of al-Shifa to leave the city, Ezz desperately searched for his mother, who had no telephone.

“After frantic calls, I found her at Baptist Hospital,” Ezz said, recalling his relief at seeing his mother.

“At first I didn’t recognize her. She was trapped under rubble for about 45 minutes. We hugged tightly, tears streaming down our cheeks. A hug full of pain and comfort,” he said.

Ezz stayed by his mother’s side for two months, supporting her and recovering from his trauma.

In January, al-Shifa was still not operational, so he joined Ezz al-Ahli, where he assisted in operations and worked with doctors.

Resilience

Ezz wants to make his father’s dream come true.

“My father always dreamed of me graduating from medical school, putting on the robe and taking the oath,” Ezz recalls.

To make this dream a reality, Ezz founded the Samir Foundation in June to provide training, workshops and financial support to medical students in northern Gaza. Contributions from individuals and organizations abroad, as well as crowdfunding, helped him make his dream a reality.

“Just as my father wanted me to graduate, I want to help other students achieve their dreams and bring honor to their families,” Ezz said.

Doctors who conducted training for the Foundation included Naeem from Al-Ahli Hospital, as well as Dr. Hani Al-Qadi and Dr. Osama Hamed from a Jordanian medical delegation.

“Despite the loss Ezz had to endure, he remained resilient,” 21-year-old Tasnim, a beneficiary of the foundation, said via WhatsApp.

Ezz’s university was destroyed by Israeli bombs, so he will not be able to graduate next year, but he has already started working and gained a lot of experience for his age.

“It’s usually difficult for college graduates to become first assistants, but I got this role,” Ezz said proudly and sadly.

“I wish my father was here to see how far I have come.”