29.07.2025 13:43
After returning to his home country of England following a voluntary medical mission in Gaza, which is under continuous attack from Israel, plastic surgeon Tom Potokar warned that if the hunger crisis in the region is not addressed immediately, deaths will spread in waves. Potokar stated, "There is no place like this in the world right now. It is truly horrifying."
The UK-based charity "Islamic Help" and its partner organization "IDEALs" have a volunteer medical team working in hospitals in Gaza. Dr. Tom Potokar, who returned to his country last month, shared his experiences during his mission.
Potokar stated that the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has reached an unprecedented level, saying, "The situation is absolutely catastrophic. Terrible. I have been to Gaza many times, but this last visit was definitely the worst." He emphasized that the situation has worsened even more after returning from the region, highlighting that hunger is being used as a weapon in Gaza.
"NOW HEALTH PERSONNEL ARE IN THE SAME SITUATION" The British surgeon, who said, "Even while I was there, many patients were severely malnourished. Now health personnel are in the same situation," reported that there is also continuous bombardment and horrific injuries. Potokar stated, "This has been going on for 21 months. There is no place like this in the world. It is truly horrifying."
Potokar fully agreed with the warnings from more than 100 international aid organizations about "mass hunger" in Gaza, stating that his observations on the ground confirmed this situation. He said, "I absolutely agree with them. There is not the slightest doubt about it. These are reputable organizations on the ground, and everything they say is true."
5-year-old Lana Salih Cuha has dropped to 8 kilos, and her health is deteriorating day by day. Potokar expressed that he saw many malnourished patients and civilians in Gaza, saying, "But I also witnessed the violence against those trying to seek help. There used to be a well-functioning aid system. Now, aid is being distributed in an extremely dangerous and destructive manner."
"THE HUNGER CRISIS YOU SEE NOW IS THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG" The British surgeon drew attention to the scale of the humanitarian disaster in the region, warning that the hunger crisis could lead to much larger waves of deaths. Potokar pointed out that it is already too late for more than 60,000 people who have lost their lives in Israel's bombardments in Gaza, and added that there are hundreds of thousands of injured, with deaths occurring due to a lack of medicine, absence of dialysis facilities, and inability to treat diseases like diabetes or hypertension. Potokar continued:
"The hunger crisis we see now is just the visible part of the iceberg. If necessary steps are not taken very quickly, this situation will lead to much larger mass deaths. For now, the number of dead may seem relatively small, but these are entirely deaths caused by human actions. This is not a natural disaster; it is not a hurricane or drought. It is a disaster that has arisen entirely from human behavior. If immediate intervention is not made, deaths from hunger will spread like waves because once the balance is disturbed, there is no turning back."
"NO ONE IS REALLY GETTING UP AND TAKING ACTION" Doctor Potokar harshly criticized the silence of world leaders regarding the crisis in Gaza, pointing out that no concrete steps have been taken despite long-standing calls. Potokar stated, "Honestly, I am horrified by the response given, or rather the lack of any response. This is not limited to the US or Europe; leaders around the world are silent. No one is really getting up and taking action. Words have been spoken, but sadly, I must say that the words have had little effect. No concrete steps have been taken; only support has been given to the ongoing genocide."
Plastic surgeon Tom Potokar "THEY WANT TO SQUEEZE 2 MILLION PEOPLE INTO REFUGEE" Doctor Potokar shared his serious concerns about the future of Gaza, noting that the Israeli government's statements have made their intentions clear. Potokar said, "The statements made are very clear: they want to squeeze 2 million people into the completely flattened Rafah, into a tiny area. After that, they aim to somehow remove these people from the country, and then there will be no place called Gaza left. I think this is a concern that many people carry and is completely justified."
ISLAMIC HELP PROVIDES DOCTOR SUPPORT FOR THE HEALTH CRISIS IN GAZA The UK-based charity Islamic Help stands out as one of the active organizations directly intervening in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza under Israeli attacks, in partnership with "IDEALs." Since December 2023, Islamic Help has been sending specialist surgeons, anesthetists, and doctors to the region to perform life-saving operations for injured civilians. The organization provides surgical equipment, disinfectants, bandages, and critical medical supplies to deliver direct surgical operations and emergency medical interventions to the injured in hospitals.
Islamic Help primarily aims to quickly deliver specialized health teams and necessary medical supplies to the field in response to the current emergency in Gaza. Additionally, it aims to analyze the needs of the health system in the region and develop a long-term aid strategy. The organization conducts awareness campaigns and calls for donations to cover the transportation costs of aid materials and teams to fulfill this mission.