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Taking full advantage of Vice President Harris’s preoccupation with the U.S. elections and a perceived weakness in her leadership, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has intensified his campaign in Gaza, showing no regard for Palestinian lives. He has now issued a “surrender or starve” ultimatum to the entire population—evoking memories of the worst excesses of the Third Reich—all amid the deafening silence of the Biden-Harris administration. 

Amid this horrific scenario, the heroes are the doctors who have vowed to stay with their patients, many breathing their last, defying the inhumane demands of Prime Minister Netanyahu. 

Dr. Mohammed Salha, acting director of Al-Awda Hospital at the Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, reports on escalating violence as Israeli forces maintain a strict siege. Despite bombings targeting tent encampments, hospitals, and schools, Dr. Salha insists, “We will not leave our patients behind. We have to provide them the healthcare they need.” Recent Israeli airstrikes have devastated areas where displaced people sought refuge, including a tent encampment at Al-Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah. The site was engulfed in flames, leaving four dead and many injured.g g A school in the Nuseirat refugee camp, sheltering displaced Palestinians, was also bombed, killing at least 22 people. The United Nations had intended to use the site for polio vaccine distribution. An airstrike in the same camp killed a family of eight, including six children. In Jabaliya, another airstrike took over 20 lives, deepening the suffering. h Doctors Without Borders warns that thousands remain trapped in Jabaliya, where “Nobody is allowed to get in or out. Anyone who tries is getting shot.” Dr. Salha confirms the dire conditions: “We have shortages in medication, medical supplies, and fuel. We are working under siege, with many injured left untreated in the streets.” 

Despite these immense challenges, Dr. Salha and his remaining staff refuse to abandon Al-Awda Hospital. “We will not leave our people behind. We are here to serve them, no matter the risks.” His commitment is anchored in the belief that, according to World Health Organization protocols, hospitals must continue operations even in conflict zones.