Medical Aid for Palestine: Dr Rossel Morhij’s Work in Gaza

When hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed and resources are pushed beyond their limits, volunteer doctors often become the final lifeline for injured civilians. Among them is Dr Rossel Morhij, MBChB, MRCS(Ed), a UK-based plastic and reconstructive surgeon who travelled to Gaza to treat some of the most severe war injuries imaginable.

Working alongside local clinicians and humanitarian teams, Dr Morhij provided urgent surgical care to both children and adults during one of the most devastating periods of the conflict. Her work reflects the critical importance of medical aid for Palestine, where skilled surgeons are needed not just to save lives, but to restore dignity and hope amid worsening living conditions.

For many people in Gaza, access to medical care has been shaped by decades of instability. From the legacy of the Ottoman Empire, through the world wars, the 1967 Six-Day War, and developments following the 2005 Israel disengagement, the region has experienced repeated upheaval. Decisions made at international levels, including debates at the United Nations General Assembly, have long-term consequences for health care systems on the ground. Today, Gaza’s extreme population density places additional strain on already fragile services, especially during periods of active conflict.

A Surgeon Trained for Complex and Reconstructive Care

Dr Rossel Morhij is a UK-trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon with formal surgical qualifications and experience managing complex trauma. She holds an MBChB degree, the primary medical qualification awarded to doctors in the UK, and an MRCS(Ed), indicating Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. This postgraduate qualification reflects rigorous surgical training and competence.

Her specialist focus includes:

• Reconstructive surgery
• Severe trauma and blast injuries
• Burns and complex soft-tissue reconstruction

Plastic and reconstructive surgery plays a vital role in conflict settings. Beyond emergency operations, it supports long-term recovery, helping patients regain movement, function, and independence. For women and children, who make up a large proportion of civilian casualties, this type of care can be life-changing.

Dr Morhij’s training prepared her for high-pressure environments where large numbers of patients arrive simultaneously. In Gaza, where hospitals serve one of the most densely populated areas in the world, these skills are essential for delivering effective medical care under extreme conditions.

Volunteering in Gaza During Mass-Casualty Events

In December 2024, Dr Morhij volunteered at Nasser Hospital, one of the main hospitals in southern Gaza. During her time there, she treated patients arriving in overwhelming numbers following repeated mass-casualty incidents.

Many of those she cared for were children suffering from:

• Multiple amputations
• Severe burns
• Blast and shrapnel injuries

Hospitals in Gaza frequently receive tens of thousands of casualties over the course of prolonged escalations. During these moments, emergency departments overflow, operating theatres run continuously, and surgeons must work through the night.

Dr Morhij has spoken about operating while Israeli forces continued military activity nearby, and about the emotional toll of treating children injured by bombardment. She described moments when patients were “too stunned to cry,” a reflection of trauma that goes far beyond physical injury. Her experience echoes what global institutions, including the World Bank, have long highlighted: conflict severely undermines health systems and long-term development.

Support Life-Saving Medical Care in Gaza

Doctors like Dr Rossel Morhij can only continue this vital work with the right support. Your donation helps fund emergency medical missions, essential surgical supplies, and specialist care for civilians injured in Gaza.

Donate today to support urgent medical aid for Palestine.

Supporting Gaza’s Overstretched Health System

Gaza’s health care system has been pushed beyond breaking point. Shortages of supplies, electricity disruptions, and repeated damage to infrastructure have created conditions where even basic medical care is difficult to maintain.

International volunteers do not replace local doctors and nurses; they support them. Gaza’s health workers continue to serve their communities despite immense risk, often while their own families face displacement or injury. By joining local teams, surgeons like Dr Morhij help stabilise services during crises and reduce the burden on exhausted staff.

Her background in reconstructive surgery allowed her to:

• Manage complex limb injuries caused by blasts and gunfire
• Attempt limb salvage where possible
• Deliver life-saving surgical care under constant pressure

This support is especially vital when Israeli soldiers’ operations result in surges of casualties that overwhelm hospitals within minutes.

Speaking Out for Civilians and Humanitarian Access

Following her return from Gaza, Dr Morhij has used her voice to raise awareness of the humanitarian crisis. In June 2025, she spoke publicly in London, calling for the protection of civilians, unrestricted humanitarian access, and accountability for the suffering she witnessed firsthand.

Her testimony adds to decades of advocacy shaped by the broader political context, including the history of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO). While diplomatic discussions continue, from negotiations involving Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) to debates in the United States and international forums, civilians continue to pay the price when access to medical care is restricted.

For medical professionals like Dr Morhij, speaking out is part of a long-term commitment to protecting human life.

Why Doctors Like Dr Rossel Morhij Matter

Dr Rossel Morhij’s work embodies the human side of humanitarian aid in Palestine. Beyond statistics and headlines, her story shows what happens when skilled professionals step forward to serve in some of the most dangerous conditions in the world.

Through Islamic Help’s medical missions, doctors like Dr Morhij:

• Save lives during emergencies
• Support exhausted local health workers
• Bear witness to the realities faced by civilians living under conflict

Their presence ensures that even amid war, displacement, and uncertainty, compassion and humanity endure.

To read more about the surgeons supporting Islamic Help’s medical missions in Gaza and Palestine, click here.

Support Medical Aid for Gaza and Palestine

Islamic Help continues to deploy emergency medical teams to Gaza and other crisis zones where lives depend on urgent medical care. With your support, we can address both immediate needs and long-term health care challenges, helping communities recover beyond the emergency phase.

Donate today to support life-saving medical aid for Palestine and Gaza.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who is Dr Rossel Morhij and what is her role in Gaza?

Dr Rossel Morhij, MBChB, MRCS(Ed), is a UK-trained plastic and reconstructive surgeon who volunteered in Gaza during intense bombardment. She works alongside local doctors to treat severe war injuries, including amputations and burns, helping save lives and restore function for injured children and adults.

Why are plastic and reconstructive surgeons vital in war zones like Gaza?

In conflict zones such as Gaza, plastic and reconstructive surgeons are essential for managing blast injuries, burns and complex limb trauma. Their skills go beyond emergency surgery, supporting long-term recovery, limb salvage and rehabilitation. This care helps patients regain movement, independence and dignity after life-changing injuries caused by ongoing violence.

What kind of injuries did Dr Rossel Morhij treat in Gaza?

While volunteering at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, Dr Rossel Morhij treated children and adults with multiple amputations, severe burns and shrapnel wounds. Many patients arrived after mass-casualty bombardments, overwhelming hospitals. Her reconstructive surgery skills were crucial for stabilising trauma patients, attempting limb salvage and supporting long-term recovery in incredibly difficult conditions.

How does Islamic Help support medical aid in Gaza and Palestine?

Islamic Help sends emergency medical teams, including surgeons like Dr Rossel Morhij, to support overstretched hospitals in Gaza and Palestine. These missions provide life-saving operations, essential medical supplies and specialist expertise. By working with local clinicians, Islamic Help strengthens health services during crises and contributes to long-term healthcare resilience in conflict-affected communities.

Why is Gaza’s health system under so much pressure?

Gaza’s healthcare system faces decades of instability, repeated conflicts, blockades and damage to vital infrastructure. High population density, shortages of medicines, electricity cuts and large numbers of war-related casualties push hospitals beyond capacity. During major escalations, emergency departments and operating theatres fill within minutes, making external medical support absolutely critical.

How can donations help doctors like Dr Rossel Morhij save lives in Gaza?

Donations enable organisations like Islamic Help to fund medical missions, supply hospitals with essential equipment and support specialist surgeons volunteering in Gaza. Contributions help cover surgical supplies, medicines, fuel for generators and critical aftercare. By donating, supporters directly strengthen life-saving treatment for civilians and sustain long-term medical aid in Palestine.