Gaza Doctors’ Harrowing Story: “Can We Accept What We Have Done?”

A new documentary follows three American volunteer doctors who risk their lives on the frontline in Gaza—and then return home to confront U.S. lawmakers. Filmmaker Poh Si Teng uses the familiar format of a medical drama to deliver a real-world message: “This is not fiction. This is Gaza.” When Poh Si Teng wanted to challenge Americans about the consequences of their actions—or inaction—in Gaza, she chose a genre with mass appeal: the medical drama. “Whether it’s *The Pitt*, *Grey’s Anatomy*, *House*, *ER*, even a comedy like *Scrubs*—you name it,” the documentary filmmaker says via Zoom from her New York apartment. “I thought, there’s something about doctors and human mortality in this space. So let’s make *The Pitt*. The difference is it’s real, and it’s set in Gaza. Maybe this is the way to bring Palestine back to the United States.” The film follows three volunteer doctors as they struggle to save lives under extreme conditions on the frontlines. After their tours end, they return to the U.S. and become advocates, testifying before Congress. Their central question, posed in the film’s title, is stark: “Can we accept what we have done or not done?” The documentary aims to bridge the distance between distant conflict and American responsibility. By using a familiar TV genre, Teng hopes to make the crisis feel immediate and personal. The film premieres this week at the DC Documentary Film Festival.