Medical Aid for Palestine: Professor Tom Potokar OBE

Consultant Plastic, Burns & Trauma Surgeon
Global Burns Specialist & Islamic Help Surgeons in Gaza

Professor Tom Potokar OBE is one of the world’s most experienced burns, trauma and reconstructive surgeons, and a senior humanitarian figure supporting Gaza’s hospitals through Islamic Help’s medical missions. With more than 40 years of service across global conflict zones, emergency responses and international burns training programmes, he brings unmatched expertise to patients living through extreme hardship.

Across 16 medical missions to Gaza since 2009, Professor Potokar has provided lifesaving care to civilians, particularly children, who have suffered severe burns, blast wounds and complex trauma injuries. His experience, leadership and compassion make him one of the most trusted international surgeons working in Gaza’s hospitals today.

A Leading Global Expert in Burns & Reconstructive Surgery

Professor Potokar trained in the UK, South Africa and New Zealand before becoming a consultant at the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery. His early humanitarian work with Médecins Sans Frontières in Cambodia, Bosnia and Tajikistan shaped a lifelong commitment to treating vulnerable patients affected by conflict, poverty and displacement.

He went on to found Interburns, a charity that has delivered high-quality burns training to thousands of healthcare professionals across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. For this global impact, he was awarded the OBE for services to international burn care.

Decades of Frontline Humanitarian Experience

Over four decades, Professor Potokar has served in some of the world’s most challenging environments, including:

• Cambodia
• Bosnia & Herzegovina
• Tajikistan
• Sudan
• Afghanistan
• Syria
• Lebanon
• Ukraine

This extensive background enables him to deliver safe, expert care in situations where hospitals are overstretched, resources are limited and needs are overwhelming.

A Long-Term Commitment to Gaza’s Health System

Since 2009, Professor Potokar has completed 16 missions to Gaza, working side-by-side with Palestinian surgeons through conflicts, ceasefires and prolonged siege conditions. His work has supported:

• Burns and reconstructive surgery.
• Major trauma and wound management.
• Treatment of shrapnel and blast injuries.
• Traumatic amputations and complex wound closure.
• Paediatric burns and trauma care.

His presence has brought specialised care to patients who would otherwise have little or no access to advanced reconstructive surgery.

Building Sustainable Surgical Capacity in Gaza

Beyond emergency operations, Professor Potokar is deeply committed to strengthening Gaza’s long-term trauma system. Through IDEALS, he has helped develop Gaza’s burns and limb reconstruction services and has trained local surgeons, nurses, and physiotherapists, both in Gaza and internationally.

This investment in local training ensures that every deployment leaves behind stronger services, better-equipped medical teams and improved long-term patient outcomes.

Former Chief Surgeon of the International Committee of the Red Cross

From 2021 to 2023, Professor Potokar served as Chief Surgeon of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), one of the highest medical roles in global humanitarian surgery. In this position, he supported emergency teams around the world, developed clinical standards and advised field hospitals operating in conflict zones.

His global leadership adds significant credibility, reassurance and professionalism to Islamic Help’s surgical missions.

A Trusted Medical Witness

Throughout his missions, Professor Potokar has provided clear and compassionate testimony about the conditions inside Gaza’s hospitals, highlighting shortages, challenges and the courage of Palestinian medical teams. His insights have been shared by humanitarian networks and international medical organisations, helping donors understand the urgency of their support.

Dedicated to Saving Lives in the Hardest Conditions

Whether performing complex reconstructive surgery, treating a child with severe burns or mentoring young surgeons, Professor Tom Potokar brings integrity, expertise and humanity to every mission.

Professor Tom Potokar OBE is a leading global burns and trauma surgeon whose 16 missions to Gaza with Islamic Help have brought lifesaving care, advanced surgery and long-term training to patients and medical teams in crisis.Through Islamic Help’s partnership with IDEALS and the generosity of supporters, his work continues to restore lives, strengthen Gaza’s medical system, and bring hope to families facing some of the most challenging circumstances in the world.