“We Were Not Prepared”: Doctors Return From Gaza With Chilling Warning as 7 Aid Workers Killed
A new documentary follows three American physicians who volunteered in Gaza during the Israeli offensive, describing operating without anesthesia, treating children with wounds they’d only read about in textbooks, and facing media silence upon returning home.
The film, produced by The Intercept, captures firsthand accounts from overwhelmed hospitals where doctors made impossible choices about who to save with dwindling resources [224785]. The physicians describe performing surgeries without basic anesthesia and treating children with injuries they had only encountered in textbooks [224785]. One doctor noted that their testimony was often framed as biased, despite their medical training and direct observation [224785].
The documentary follows the same format as popular medical dramas to deliver a real-world message [221442]. Filmmaker Poh Si Teng said she chose the genre to bring Palestine back to the United States, asking: “Can we accept what we have done or not done?” [221442]. After their tours, the doctors returned to confront U.S. lawmakers, testifying before Congress [221442].
The release comes as the Israeli military faces renewed scrutiny over civilian deaths. In January 2024, six-year-old Hind Rajab was killed in Gaza after being trapped in a car with relatives following an Israeli strike [222468]. For hours, she was on the phone with rescue workers pleading for help. When paramedics from the Palestinian Red Crescent arrived, they were also killed [222468]. The Israeli army has now announced it is examining the circumstances following the release of award-winning films that brought international attention to the case [222468].
Separately, the UK, Canada, and Australia have publicly condemned Israel’s refusal to open a criminal investigation into the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen workers killed in an Israeli strike on their convoy in 2024 [224751]. The three nations issued joint statements calling the refusal unacceptable and urging a full, transparent probe [224751]. The charity had been delivering food aid in Gaza at the time of the strike [224751].
The developments come as dozens of former French and British diplomats sent a sharply worded letter to their governments warning that “Palestine is being erased before the world’s eyes” [224984]. The signatories, including retired ambassadors and senior officials, urged France and the UK to break with current approaches and uphold international law and basic human rights standards [224984]. They demanded stronger public criticism of settlement expansion, a firm stance against forced displacement of Palestinians, and a more active push for a two-state solution [224984].
The letter warns that continued support for Israel’s actions without clear conditions is damaging the credibility of both nations on the global stage [224984]. No official response has been given by the French or British governments [224984].