October 7th: A catalyst for unrelenting crisis and the fight to save lives
October 7th is a day that remains seared into our collective memory—a day marked by unimaginable loss, fear, and suffering. The death toll continues to rise, and for every life lost, there are countless more left injured and grieving. The ripple effects of this violence are spreading far beyond that single day, reaching into every corner of the region. As the violence escalates across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, and Israel, the humanitarian needs grow more urgent with each passing hour.
We have not forgotten the victims—the hostages, the dead, the wounded, and the families in mourning. Like many in the humanitarian and development community, we’ve been overwhelmed by the surge in requests for assistance. Over the past year, we have adapted to meet this growing need. We know the skills, knowledge, and expertise we provide will save lives. This year alone, we’ve trained 55 surgeons and 18 anaesthetists in the UK and Kuwait to prepare them for operating in Gaza. Our founder, David Nott, and Head Surgeon, Ammar Darwish, have both traveled to Gaza on missions with MAP and MSF, bearing witness to the daily horrors Palestinians face. In addition to direct medical support, we’ve created teaching videos in English and Arabic to assist doctors in real-time on the ground.
“Seeing Gaza reminds me of the vital importance of our foundation’s work. Training doctors, operating on patients in war zones, bearing witness to doctors’ needs on the ground, I’m more driven than ever to help the charity grow so we can reach even more people in need.”
We hear a lot about the death tolls of Oct 7th and the violence since. But for every death there are countless injuries. Many of these will be life-changing and require highly specialist input that is simply not available. This is the case across the region, as the violence begins to spread beyond Gaza and Israel, into the West Bank, Lebanon and Yemen.
"The number of injured in Gaza has now surpassed 70,000. The complexity of these injuries means that these patients will require extensive medical care—surgeries, physiotherapy, and immense resources to reconstruct their lives. This is a humanitarian crisis of unimaginable proportions."
As the violence spreads like a global contagion, the need for medical aid is growing by the day, and we remain committed to doing everything we can to provide support.
James Gough,
CEO
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