Gaza Medical Student’s Aspirations to Become Doctor Challenged by War

By Saleh Salem

RAFAH, Gaza – Aseel Abu Haddaf, a Palestinian medical student, was set to graduate from medical school in Gaza this year. Instead, she now lives in a tent, her home and university reduced to rubble by Israeli air strikes, all while grappling with the uncertainty of her future as a doctor.

Since the onset of the war in Gaza, sparked by a Hamas attack on October 7 that resulted in over 1,200 fatalities, the region has been stripped of any semblance of normalcy. Local health authorities report that approximately 25,000 Palestinians have lost their lives due to the conflict.

For students like Abu Haddaf, the uncertainty is particularly daunting. They are left questioning whether their years of study have any value and if their university retains any records of their academic progress.

"Medicine has been my ambition ever since I was young. As a child, I always imagined myself as a doctor because of the circumstances we face in Gaza," she explained. The devastation wrought by the war has only strengthened her resolve to pursue this dream.

Abu Haddaf was in her final year at al-Azhar University in southern Gaza City and was looking forward to graduating later this year and starting her internship to become a fully qualified doctor, with aspirations of one day becoming a surgeon.

The situation in Gaza City has worsened, with significant destruction documented through videos, photographs, and satellite images, as Israeli forces have encircled the area. Abu Haddaf has lost contact with her lecturers, other university staff, and classmates, saying, "There is no connection. I know nothing about them, if they are alive or dead."

"I hope we can return to our studies, even if it means learning in tents, and have access to educational staff who can guide us in fulfilling our dreams of becoming doctors," she stated.

The Abu Haddaf family previously lived in Khan Younis, the largest city in southern Gaza. Since the conflict began, Israeli strikes have intensified throughout the strip, particularly in Khan Younis as ground forces have invaded.

Having lost their home, Abu Haddaf’s family, like about 85% of Gaza’s residents, is now homeless. Seeking relative safety, they have relocated to Rafah, near the Egyptian border.

Abu Haddaf spends her days maintaining their tent, washing clothes, cooking with scarce resources, and managing the numerous challenges associated with living without a permanent home or electricity. Despite these hardships, she volunteers to assist with medical duties and gain practical experience, although she knows this cannot replace her university education.

Gaza is in urgent need of medical professionals, as countless individuals are suffering from injuries due to ongoing bombardments. With the enclave facing famine and an increasing risk of disease among the population, support is desperately needed.

The fate of medical students like Abu Haddaf and whether they will ever be able to complete their training remains one of the many unanswered questions of this conflict. For now, her primary concern, like that of her fellow Gazans, is sheer survival.

"Here in the camp, we endure difficult days, consumed by the quest for food and water," she reflected.