UKHIH is deeply distressed by recent reports about the killing of our former Humanitarian Surgery Innovation Fellow, Dr Ahmed S. Almaqadma, during an Israeli Defense Force (IDF) action at al-Shifa hospital in Gaza in March 2024. Dr Nada Al-Hadithy gives an account of Ahmed’s death, and that of his mother, in the Channel 4 News interview clip below.
Ahmed was a globally respected surgeon who, like many other Palestinian healthcare workers killed in Gaza, spent his professional life in service to his community. As a UKHIH Humanitarian Surgery Innovation Fellow, Ahmed contributed to several of our initiatives, including a multinational survey to evaluate the efficacy of video learning in surgical education in low- and middle-income countries. Throughout his career, Ahmed championed surgical voices from the Global South.
The Israel-Gaza war is costing the lives of thousands of civilians and dedicated healthcare workers, including Ahmed. We join others in calling on Israel, as a party to the conflict, to uphold its obligation under international humanitarian law (IHL): protect civilians, protect healthcare workers, and enable full and unimpeded access to humanitarian relief, including food. We call on all parties to the conflict to uphold IHL and take urgent steps to end civilian suffering. Our commitments remain evidence, humanity, and amplifying the voices of those affected.
We extend our thanks to Dr Nada Al-Hadithy for her eloquent account of the dignity and bravery of Gazan people in the face of ongoing violence and destruction. Palestinians killed in Gaza are not just numbers. We mourn Ahmed’s death and honour his exceptional courage and care for his patients, as well as his contributions to the global humanitarian surgery community.