Gaza surgeon pleads for ceasefire - 'Health system is collapsing'

WATCH: A moving account of life in a hospital from a Gaza surgeon

A surgeon in Gaza has made an emotional plea for a halt in hostilities with Israel and describing the region's "collapsing" health system as "unbearable and unimaginable." 

Mohamed Ziara, plastic and reconstruction surgeon at the European Gaza hospital, opened up to CGTN Europe about the desperate conditions he was working in, adding he had not had more than two days of rest since Hamas crossed the border to attack Israel on October 7.

Asked about the state of Gaza's health system, Ziara said: "It's collapsing. Before the war started, the health system was already on its knees. So after destroying and evacuating many hospitals, it's hard to imagine being without these main hospitals. 

"The medical system or the healthcare system is now capable of providing only primary health care. Added to this, the fuel, electricity and medical aid shortage, it's all adding a big burden on the health system.

"Every hospital in Gaza was being used as a shelter for many refugees. If you see any corridors inside a hospital now, you wouldn't believe it was a hospital. The corridors are filled with people, refugees, children running around and they are making tents inside the hospital corridors. It is so unimaginable actually."

On Monday, Nasser Hospital became the latest health facility to become a theater of war in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, now in its fifth month. Fourteen patients were evacuated from the Gaza hospital that had been raided by Israeli troops, the Gaza health ministry and the UN said, as Israel denied its military operations had stopped the hospital from functioning.

Israel says Hamas, the Islamist group that has run Gaza since 2007, uses hospitals for cover, which it denies. The war was triggered by a Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7 in which Israel says 1,200 people were killed and 253 taken hostage.

Considering the lack of food, water and medical supplies hospitals continue to suffer from, Ziara was asked what his top priority would be to improve the situation in Gaza.

"It's been said several times but a ceasefire is the only option that we have," he added. "It's maybe the only mercy we have. Even if we had the medical aid, we wouldn't be able to reach the hospital if we have bombing. The patients and families are so worried and are starting to evacuate from the hospital because of the near bombing and near fighting. 

"My patients flee from the hospital away because they are afraid of the siege; the repeated siege of the hospital. We need to stop the bombs, stop the firing and stop the attacking. We already have a big burden here, but to have more than this, it's completely unbearable and unimaginable.

"The patients are now suffering from malnutrition. Many kids are dying from this. We still are fearing for bombs - we can't work in this situation. Without the bombs and the firing, I could have much more energy to provide medical health and to keep on going. 

"We have been working since October 7 on a daily basis and I've not had more than two days of vacation or rest. I'm working on a daily basis now so I hope this will end soon."

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