Dr. Mark Perlmutter (Orthopedic Surgeon, North Carolina)

Dr. Mark Perlmutter had been on about 40 medical missions all over the developing world before he went to Gaza. He's a white guy, almost 70, a hand surgeon in rural North Carolina when he's not doing humanitarian work. And when he found out patients in Gaza needed an orthopedic specialist like himself, he signed up and flew there in March of 2024.

Dr. Mark Perlmutter had been on about 40 medical missions all over the developing world before he went to Gaza. He's a white guy, almost 70, a hand surgeon in rural North Carolina when he's not doing humanitarian work. And when he found out patients in Gaza needed an orthopedic specialist like himself, he signed up and flew there in March of 2024.

Dr. Mark Perlmutter had been on about 40 medical missions all over the developing world before he went to Gaza. He's a white guy, almost 70, a hand surgeon in rural North Carolina when he's not doing humanitarian work. And when he found out patients in Gaza needed an orthopedic specialist like himself, he signed up and flew there in March of 2024.

He'd worked in some pretty violent places, but never an active war zone, and only knew the basics about the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

He'd worked in some pretty violent places, but never an active war zone, and only knew the basics about the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

He'd worked in some pretty violent places, but never an active war zone, and only knew the basics about the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

Intifada is the word for Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. But Mark was about to get a crash course from one of his fellow doctors.

Intifada is the word for Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. But Mark was about to get a crash course from one of his fellow doctors.

Intifada is the word for Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation. But Mark was about to get a crash course from one of his fellow doctors.

Dr. Feroz Sidwa, a trauma surgeon from the U.S. He's also volunteered as a doctor in the war in Ukraine and with Palestinians in the West Bank. He's closely studied the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though his family's from a small ethnic minority in what is now Pakistan.

Dr. Feroz Sidwa, a trauma surgeon from the U.S. He's also volunteered as a doctor in the war in Ukraine and with Palestinians in the West Bank. He's closely studied the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though his family's from a small ethnic minority in what is now Pakistan.

Dr. Feroz Sidwa, a trauma surgeon from the U.S. He's also volunteered as a doctor in the war in Ukraine and with Palestinians in the West Bank. He's closely studied the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, though his family's from a small ethnic minority in what is now Pakistan.

So Mark sat next to Feroz. And when they arrived at the European hospital, that's the name of the hospital, in Han Yunis, in Gaza, their team dropped off their thousands of pounds of supplies. European Hospital was built for just over 200 beds, but is taking care of over a thousand people. And families are living in every corner of the hospital. Mark hadn't seen anything like it.

So Mark sat next to Feroz. And when they arrived at the European hospital, that's the name of the hospital, in Han Yunis, in Gaza, their team dropped off their thousands of pounds of supplies. European Hospital was built for just over 200 beds, but is taking care of over a thousand people. And families are living in every corner of the hospital. Mark hadn't seen anything like it.

So Mark sat next to Feroz. And when they arrived at the European hospital, that's the name of the hospital, in Han Yunis, in Gaza, their team dropped off their thousands of pounds of supplies. European Hospital was built for just over 200 beds, but is taking care of over a thousand people. And families are living in every corner of the hospital. Mark hadn't seen anything like it.

Froze hadn't either, but he told me he didn't linger on that long. A nurse took them on a quick tour, let them know where everything was.

Froze hadn't either, but he told me he didn't linger on that long. A nurse took them on a quick tour, let them know where everything was.

Froze hadn't either, but he told me he didn't linger on that long. A nurse took them on a quick tour, let them know where everything was.

This is like minutes into your initial tour of the hospital. You see two kids with gunshots to the head and then two more kids with gunshots to the head.

This is like minutes into your initial tour of the hospital. You see two kids with gunshots to the head and then two more kids with gunshots to the head.