“Never, in more than 30 years in war zones, had I faced such a situation of chaos.” With this alarming observation, Pr Raphaël Pitti, drawing on his humanitarian experience in Syria and Ukraine, describes the current reality in Gaza.
In this video testimony, he looks back on his entry into the Palestinian enclave in early 2024 and details the emergency response deployed by our NGO, HuSoMe (Humanité, Solidarité, Médecine), in the face of what constitutes the greatest humanitarian catastrophe since the Second World War.
🎥 [Link to the YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vc74sy2ruY4]
A health system in total collapse
On arrival at the European Hospital, near Khan Younis, our medical team’s assessment was unequivocal. The facility, designed for 600 beds, held more than 900 seriously injured patients and served as a refuge for thousands of terrified civilians, sleeping in the corridors.
The lack of antibiotics, anaesthetics and basic medical equipment forced health workers into tragically difficult decisions:
- Reverse triage: for lack of resuscitation resources, teams had to resign themselves to letting the most seriously wounded die in order to concentrate the few resources available on those with a real chance of survival.
- The invisible victims: excess mortality does not only affect the war wounded. Thousands of patients with chronic conditions (diabetes, kidney failure, cancers) are dying for lack of treatment.
HuSoMe’s work on the ground: treating and feeding
Faced with the paralysis of the major hospitals, HuSoMe quickly adapted its strategy to meet the vital needs of a population dehumanised by siege and hunger.
1. Creating primary health centres To relieve hospital emergency departments, HuSoMe joined forces with Caritas and Médecins du Monde to deploy demountable primary care centres. These facilities provide general medical consultations, distribute medicines and follow seasonal illnesses.
2. Access to drinking water The systematic destruction of desalination plants has made drinking water extremely scarce, encouraging the spread of epidemics (hepatitis, risk of polio) because of a polluted water table. HuSoMe organises the distribution of 20,000 litres of drinking water a day to try to meet this health emergency.
3. Fighting malnutrition With alarming rates of child malnutrition, our teams distribute protein bars and vitamin supplements to protect children and the elderly from famine.
A refuge for innocence: the Nuseirat orphanage
Amid the ruins, children who had lost their entire extended family wandered alone, left to fend for themselves and to hunger. Faced with this absolute emergency, HuSoMe took a radical decision: to bring them to safety.
We rented and fitted out a secure villa in Nuseirat to create an orphanage. Today, this centre is a true sanctuary for these survivors:
- 33 children taken in (aged 4 to 17).
- A dedicated team: carers, social workers, cooks and security guards look after the children day and night.
- Tailored follow-up: beyond strictly monitored nutrition to re-accustom their starved bodies, the children receive psychological support and educational activities to try to rebuild some semblance of childhood.
“Today, the full care of one child in our orphanage costs us around €1,000 a month (food, security, supervision). Our commitment is total, but the needs are immense.”
Let us not look away
International solidarity is the last line of defence protecting the lives and dignity of civilians in Gaza. HuSoMe’s teams keep fighting every day, but they cannot act alone.
Make a donation to HuSoMe to support our medical work and our orphanage.
