The first Spaniard evacuated from Gaza denounces "a constant abuse" since the beginning of the Israeli offensive

Anesthetist Raúl Incertis emphasizes that he has not seen anything comparable to the situation in the Strip during his work at MSF

MADRID, 6 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) -

Raúl Incertis, the Spanish anesthetist from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) evacuated last week from the Gaza Strip after nearly three weeks trapped in the Palestinian enclave in the midst of Israel's military offensive, has called the situation a "constant abuse" and has alerted to the impact of the conflict on Palestinian children, including their mental health once hostilities end.

Thus, he said during an informative meeting with the media that he arrived in Gaza on October 1 for "a relatively simple mission, within what is MSF's work, which consisted of scheduled orthopedic surgery and reconstructive surgery" at the Al Hospital. Auda, in the north of the Gaza Strip.

Incertis has explained that he was going to participate in surgeries "to fix the legs of Gazan boys and men who went to the wall to throw stones at the other side and the soldiers responded by shooting them, particularly at the ankles, with special bullets to generate the greatest type of damage." ".

Raúl Incertis, a Spanish anesthetist recently evacuated from the Strip through the Rafá border crossing, along with 21 other international MSF workers, participated in the meeting, waiting for a staff rotation for the entry of "more specialized" personnel into Gaza. in this type of operations".

"I was going to the hospital for two days and Friday was a day off and I took a walk on the beach. On Saturday it all started and from there until we left it was a constant crush, I wouldn't know how to explain it any other way," he said, before adding that he moved south "following the dictates of the Israeli Army" until his departure across the border with Egypt.

"From there (the outbreak of the conflict) until we left, well, a constant abuse, I wouldn't know how to explain it any other way," he said, while adding that "the work of the expatriates was completely interrupted." "Not completely, because we carried medical supplies until they ran out," she noted.

"Fortunately, with a lot of luck and a lot of work, we managed to get out," he said, while making "special mention" of the Spanish vice consul, Ignacio Taboada, who he said has been "super close" to him and his family. . For his part, the general coordinator of MSF for the Occupied Palestinian Territories, David Cantero, explained that the Spanish authorities "have always been very concerned about Raúl's condition" and "have pressed by all means" to achieve his departure from the fringe.

"They have always been very concerned and at least in direct contact with me and I know that also with Raúl," he said, before specifying that the evacuation was carried out by the NGO, in charge of "removing the personnel and taking a safe place" for its workers "in this type of evacuations.

In this way, Incertis explained that he moved to the south of the enclave along with "many" MSF workers who traveled to this area of ​​​​the territory "with their families." "Many ended up in displaced persons camps," he noted, before detailing that "not a few stayed in Gaza City taking care of their families, since there were many colleagues who could not go to the south because they had disabled relatives in their care or people greater".

In this sense, he highlighted that "several colleagues lost their homes and many family members" due to the bombings carried out by the Israeli Army and that others who continue at their jobs work very long shifts, spending even five or seven days without work. to be able to leave the hospital where they are.

Incertis has also detailed the warning system for civilians about the bombings that Israel is going to carry out, which "normally" is via SMS, so "it is difficult for it to reach those who do not have a cell phone." Thus, he said that "the most common thing" is for a notification to arrive giving a five-minute period for evacuation, after which the building is bombed, although it may be that there is no attack, "which falls within psychological terror." ", or that a nearby building to which these civilians have moved is attacked.

Likewise, he stressed that the bombings against southern Gaza have "absolutely" stopped, described by Israel as a 'safe zone' to which the population must evacuate, while confirming that he was "in a demilitarized center." until its evacuation from the Palestinian enclave.

Incertis has highlighted that "what concerns it most" is the situation of children and "this waste of human lives, which in the case of the early ages of life is much more important." "What is happening now is the most important event in Palestinian history since the 'Nakba' in 1948," she said.

"This has all the signs of overcoming the 'Nakba' and has already surpassed it by several figures. I am concerned about the psychological trauma that will remain after this," he specified, while recalling that "a person who was born In the year 2000 they ate six or seven climbers and they were already traumatized, diagnosed."

"It's not a way of speaking," he said. "There were clinics to treat the mental trauma of children. I am concerned about the immediate health of the children and the subsequent mental health of the children," he argued, before indicating that he "without a doubt has the desire" to return to Gaza, a may have been able to rest and the situation "is a little calmer."

On the other hand, he stressed that he has not seen anything comparable to the situation in Gaza during his work at MSF, not even in the "spectacular humanitarian crisis" in Yemen, where there is a "tremendously forgotten" war. Thus, he highlighted that his Palestinian colleagues in Gaza told him that "it was essential to tell what they are suffering."

"From here, of course, with so many figures, one can get a little lost. Furthermore, they tell you that 3,000 children have died and then that Rayo Vallecano has lost against Real Madrid, for example. I would like the population or the The media imagines an adult who has a four-year-old child at his feet and begins to beat him non-stop until he beats him to death and kills him. Perhaps that personal image of an adult killing a child is much more real and representative than 3,000, 3,500, 4,000 dead children next to totally unrelated news," he explained.

"I continue to worry a lot about the children and I can't say anything more," said Incertis, who has also asked that they inform themselves about "what is happening every day in this war, but that they also not forget about the other wars that are not fashionable, which are several.

The authorities of the Gaza Strip, controlled by Hamas, have this Monday raised the death toll to more than 10,000 - among them more than 4,100 children - due to the Israeli offensive after the Islamist group's attacks, which left nearly 1,400 dead and more than 240 kidnapped--. Separately, more than 140 Palestinians have been killed by gunfire by Israeli forces and in settler attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, according to the Palestinian Authority.