MSF Gaza - latest voice notes and transcripts

20 March 2025 - Text message from MSF colleague (anonymous) sent on the morning of 18 March:

Waking up in terror at 2.00 am, shocked by the sudden heavy bombardment and the firestorms surrounding us. The children, already traumatized and displaced 11 times throughout the war, suffering from frequent panic attacks, start to run and scream in fear. They have no idea where to go. “Mum, it’s not safe, let’s go downstairs,” one of them cries. I do my best to calm them down, though they never realize how much more terrified I am than they are. I carry the immense responsibility of being their sole protector. The apartment I’m renting has a wall destroyed from a previous bombing, and another wall is cracked, but Alhamdulillah, it’s still standing. We are filled with sadness, frustration, and despair, as Israel resumes the war once again. We haven’t even been able to catch our breath.

Dr. Mehtab Al-Khodari- an emergency physician (Al-Mawasi Clinic), recorded 18 March:

Peace be upon you. This is Dr. Mehtab Al-Khodari, the on-duty doctor at Al-Mawasi Clinic, an emergency physician. Our shift yesterday started normally, like any other shift—there were no issues. The usual cases that regularly come to the clinic. Suddenly, at around 2:00 AM or maybe 1:45 AM... A very, very, very intense bombing sound—so intense that we thought the bombing was happening right at the clinic. We were shocked when we went outside to see what was happening. There were so many ambulances, coming from everywhere. We looked out onto the street—people were running, confused, not understanding what was happening. The news was saying that the war had resumed, with conflicting reports. After a while, we realized the news was not promising at all, and the sound of ambulances was everywhere. We started activating mass casualty protocols and began assigning tasks among all the on-duty staff. That included myself as a doctor, two nurses, two hygienists, and three watchmen. As a team, we worked together, dividing tasks and assigning zones—red, black, green, etc.—in preparation for possible casualties. Fortunately, there was no direct bombing near us, but the sound was extremely loud. We received one case—a female patient, around 20 years old. She had an explosive injury in her left hand, index finger, ​ and small finger. She needed a vascular assessment, ​ and she also needed an orthopaedic assessment and X-ray. We gave her a dressing, and she got the necessary treatment, ​ and we transferred her to UK Med. Her family and her companions were very upset. Her husband said, ​ "I want to leave her with you, and go back to the children in the tent." The situation was very serious. It was an unexpected situation. People didn't expect it. As a medical team, we didn't expect it. Hopefully, ​ the next few days will be better. The rest of the cases were normal. ​ This is the only case that concerns the bombing and the war yesterday. That's all.

Reham Abu Draz-nurse-Evacuation order (Abasan, Khan Younis) recorded on 18 March:

I am nurse Riham Abu Draz, currently working with Médecins Sans Frontières at the Shaboura Clinic. Yesterday, evacuations happened, and we were told through a recorded army announcement. They said that the area we are in is a violent combat zone, and we must evacuate. We did not know about this. We didn't know where we would go, and we hadn’t planned anything beforehand. We didn’t know what this would come to. ​ There is a lot of stress and anxiety. We didn't know where we would go, ​ and we didn’t know which areas were safe or unsafe. ​ Right now, we are sitting here, trying to figure out exactly where we will go. ​ Exactly. Until we see when the situation will get better, when the situation will improve and we can return to how we were. ​ The situation is very difficult for us. To stay at home for a while, and then face another evacuation. We don’t know how long this will last. ​ And what will happen. ​ It's a very hard feeling to be at home, and suddenly, a pre-recorded announcement rings, or you receive the news from people, and you see images of people on the road in cars evacuating. People took their belongings, some took their children and ran with them. The house they bombed here was a very horrific sight, with 15 dead in the house. Imagine having this scene in front of you, or a house around you. ​ It is very difficult and extremely affecting ​ on a person's psyche.

One cannot even describe the horror of the scene, ​ the sight of the dead, ​ the blood, and the children running on their own to survive, trying to get away from the danger zone.

The danger we were in. I live in Abasan Al-Kabira, and a bombing occurred. ​ A whole house 15 martyrs were lost from the family of our colleague [Ministry of Health]. He was on duty at Nasser Hospital. ​ No one was left but him. ​ Everyone was martyred, his whole family, including his children, his wife, his siblings, and their children. He was the only one left, he’s almost the only survivor from his family. They prayed the funeral prayer for them. We could hear them. The situation was very difficult, bad, and very horrific. During his 24hour shift ​ the strike happened at night. They told him, ​ he was at the hospital, and it was night time. ​ He definitely heard it on the news. He heard it on the news immediately, ​ and went home, but he found no one. He found the house collapsed, with people buried underneath.