News

Our Work in Gaza During the War and Fragile Ceasefire

Our immediate objective was to get surgical teams and life-saving equipment/supplies into Gaza quickly and on a regular basis. Our first team worked at the European hospital for two weeks from 27th December 2023, and since then we have deployed another 20 teams of between one and five specialist surgeons and anaesthetists to the European and Nasser hospitals, Khan Younis, and Shifa hospital, Gaza city. In total 60 specialists have been deployed to date, with our next team of five due to enter Gaza in November 2026. We have been able to support local colleagues, exhausted and fearful for their families, with the emergency surgical management of survivors of major trauma (predominantly blast and crush injuries), and the subsequent management of patients with complex limb injuries. So many of these patients have lost family members and have devastating, disabling wounds, requiring multiple operations and lifelong rehabilitation.

Despite the fragile ceasefire that began in Gaza in October 2025

Despite the fragile ceasefire that began in Gaza in October 2025, bombs are still falling, people are still dying, the health system is shattered by two years of war, many thousands of patients need reconstructive surgery and we badly want to continue our work. Our latest team began working at Nasser hospital, Khan Younis, in mid-January 2026, and we have teams ready to deploy every month throughout the coming year.

Latest IDEALS team arrives at Nasser hospital, Khan Younis

Our latest team of three entered Gaza on 3rd July and arrived at Nasser hospital, Khan Younis, the following day. Since their arrival Israeli forces have continued to carry out heavy bombardment around the hospital, issued additional displacement orders and expanded ground operations. Strikes on people sheltering in schools and tents and those seeking food, water and other assistance continue to be reported, resulting in mass casualties.

Gaza health system at breaking point

Over nine weeks into the full aid blockade imposed on people in Gaza and with a major escalation in the Israeli bombardment from air, land and sea, Gaza's health system is at breaking point - overwhelmed by traumatic injuries, damaged infrastructure and severe shortages of staff, equipment and supplies

Latest IDEALS team enters Gaza

Our latest team entered Gaza on 6th May and are already hard at work at the European hospital, Khan Younis. The need for our specialist trauma and limb reconstruction expertise has never been greater, with a large number of patients with complex injuries already on the wards and new patients with horrific blast and crush injuries arriving every day. We hope that a second team will join them next week, but access remains extremely difficult and unpredictable.

A few words from the March 2024 mission

A Heartbreaking Loss Remembering Abdulrahman Al Najjar

Doctor’s video diary shows reality inside Gaza hospital BBC News

BBC News airs Victoria Rose's video diary from March 2024

Surgeon plans another stint in Gaza as ‘aid still isn’t getting in’ LBC

LBC's James O'Brien gives IDEALS' Victoria Rose some airtime