Report by Reem Swaisy, Published in Arabic By WAFA News: Despite the harrowing surgeries he performs on victims of Israeli strikes, Dr. Ali Odah, a maxillofacial surgeon, says the horrors only deepen his resolve. Rather than deter him, they solidified his decision to remain in Gaza and continue his humanitarian duty, even at grave personal risk.
Dr. Odah, 46, is the only practicing maxillofacial surgeon from northern Gaza, now working at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Strip.
“We were working in Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City,” he told WAFA News, “When it was invaded by the Israeli occupation soldiers, we had no choice but to evacuate south. My family and I took shelter in Mawasi Khan Younis. From there, I continued my work at Nasser Hospital.”
The most recent ceasefire allowed his family to briefly return to their home in Beit Hanoun, in the north. But after the latest evacuation orders, he left again this time to Gaza City. “Now,” he says, “we’re living in a tent.”
Al-Shifa Hospital was raided on March 18, 2024. The UN estimated over 2,300 people were inside at the time. Many staff members were detained.
Even after relocating, Dr. Odah continued traveling twice a week to the south; “Every two days, I head to Khan Younis, on a tuk-tuk, to work 24-hour shifts. I’m still the only facial surgeon from the north in the hospital,” he says.
Each journey is a risk. “There’s bombing around the clock, everywhere. Nasser Hospital itself lies in one of the declared evacuation zones. Every time I go, I know I’m gambling with my life, for the lives of others.”
He describes the strain on his family; “They live in constant fear. My work has become a daily source of tension and anxiety.”
When asked why he never considered leaving Gaza, his answer was immediate: “Many of my colleagues fled, but I refused. I keep asking myself: if we all leave, who will care for the wounded?”
He explains that the volume of trauma cases far exceeds the hospital’s capacity. “What we’re handling needs more than 20 doctors. And this specialty is rare, there simply aren’t others who can do what I do.”
Among the patients he treats are those suffering from shattered jaws, facial injuries, severed tongues, and lips torn by shrapnel and bullets. “Sometimes the jaw is completely destroyed, and we need to implant metal plates.”
And yet, they operate under staggering limitations. “There’s no electricity. Sometimes we sleep in darkness just to keep the operating rooms lit. There’s a desperate shortage of medicines. Patients often can’t get post-op treatments. The blockade means no supplies come in.”
As he speaks, his voice tightens but never falters. “It’s not just a job. We are risking our lives to save others. In this war, that is the choice we’ve made.”
