“Mr. Obama, spend one night with us in Shifa hospital, it would change history.”

In a striking letter dated July 19, describing the horror and trauma in Gaza’s Shifa hospital, doctor Mads Gilbert has called out for international action and asked, “Mr Obama — Do you have a heart?”

The Norwegian doctor and activist has previously blamed the US for the crisis in Gaza, saying last week: “This is 100 percent man-made massacre, supported by the United States and Mr. Obama.”

Gilbert’s work was significant during the Israel’s “Operation Cast Lead” invasion of Gaza in 2008, at a time when foreign journalists were blocked from entering the territory. EA reported on the doctor’s appeals for international action throughout January 2009.

In this latest open letter, which follows Israel’s recent ground invasion, Gilbert describes the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, and suggests that if Obama saw the crisis for himself, he would realise the urgency to act.


Dearest friends,

The last night was extreme. The “ground invasion” of Gaza resulted in scores and carloads with maimed, torn apart, bleeding, shivering, dying –– all sorts of injured Palestinians, all ages, all civilians, all innocent.

The heroes in the ambulances and in all of Gaza’s hospitals are working 12-24 hrs shifts, grey from fatigue and inhuman workloads (without payment all in Shifa for the last 4 months), they care, triage, try to understand the incomprehensible chaos of bodies, sizes, limbs, walking, not walking, breathing, not breathing, bleeding, not bleeding humans. HUMANS!

Now, once more treated like animals by “the most moral army in the world” (sic!).

My respect for the wounded is endless, in their contained determination in the midst of pain, agony and shock; my admiration for the staff and volunteers is endless, my closeness to the Palestinian “sumud” gives me strength, although in glimpses I just want to scream, hold someone tight, cry, smell the skin and hair of the warm child, covered in blood, protect ourselves in an endless embrace – but we cannot afford that, nor can they.

Ashy grey faces –– Oh NO! not one more load of tens of maimed and bleeding, we still have lakes of blood on the floor in the ER, piles of dripping, blood-soaked bandages to clear out –– oh –– the cleaners, everywhere, swiftly shovelling the blood and discarded tissues, hair, clothes, cannulas – the leftovers from death –– all taken away…to be prepared again, to be repeated all over. More then 100 cases came to Shifa last 24 hrs. enough for a large well trained hospital with everything, but here –– almost nothing: electricity, water, disposables, drugs, OR-tables, instruments, monitors –– all rusted and as if taken from museums of yesterday’s hospitals.But they do not complain, these heroes. They get on with it, like warriors, head on, enormous resolute.

And as I write these words to you, alone, on a bed, my tears flows, the warm but useless tears of pain and grief, of anger and fear. This is not happening!

An then, just now, the orchestra of the Israeli war-machine starts its gruesome symphony again, just now: salvos of artillery from the navy boats just down on the shores, the roaring F16, the sickening drones (Arabic “Zennanis”, the hummers), and the cluttering Apaches. So much made and paid in and by US.

Mr. Obama –– do you have a heart?

I invite you –– spend one night –– just one night – with us in Shifa. Disguised as a cleaner, maybe.

I am convinced, 100%, it would change history.

Nobody with a heart AND power could ever walk away from a night in Shifa without being determined to end the slaughter of the Palestinian people.

But the heartless and merciless have done their calculations and planned another “dahyia” onslaught on Gaza.

The rivers of blood will keep running the coming night. I can hear they have tuned their instruments of death.

Please. Do what you can. This, THIS cannot continue.

Mads
Gaza, Occupied Palestine