A frontline surgeon with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has described the terrifying realities of operating inside a field hospital in war-torn Gaza, revealing how shrapnel and stray bullets have penetrated hospital tents even as medical teams continued performing lifesaving surgeries.
Dr. Bhavna Chawla, an ICRC surgeon working at the Red Cross Field Hospital in Gaza, said the experience has strengthened her belief in emergency war medicine and the resilience of humanitarian workers operating under extreme danger.
“This is a place which is very, very special to me,” Chawla said.
“It is something that restored my faith in war surgery, in field hospitals and how much we can do with little, even if we are at the frontline.”
Operating Under Fire
Since the hospital opened in May 2024, Dr. Chawla has completed six deployments at the facility, treating civilians injured during the ongoing conflict.
According to her, medical teams have repeatedly worked while facing direct threats from nearby fighting.
“We’ve been through times where we’ve had shrapnel and stray shots pass over the hospital, entering the tents where we work, entering the wards at times,” she said.
Despite the danger, she noted that medical staff remained committed to caring for patients.
“But the teams have remained strong and constantly worked,” she added.
Focus Amid Chaos
Dr. Chawla described the intense concentration required during surgery in a conflict zone, explaining that medical workers often shut out the sounds of war while trying to save lives.
“Somehow when you are in the operating theatre everything else kind of becomes this white noise that you don’t pay attention to, when you just stay focused on what you are doing,” she explained.
“And I don’t think you would have it any other way.”
Hospitals Under Immense Pressure
The Red Cross Field Hospital is part of a broader network of emergency health facilities still functioning across Gaza despite severe shortages of: Medical supplies, Fuel, Electricity, Personnel.
Aid organizations say hospitals in Gaza continue operating under overwhelming pressure as casualties rise and humanitarian conditions deteriorate.
The ICRC says the field hospital represents a collective humanitarian effort aimed at ensuring civilians continue receiving urgent medical care amid ongoing hostilities.
International Humanitarian Law
The ICRC reiterated that under International Humanitarian Law: Medical personnel must be protected, Hospitals and medical units must not be targeted, Parties to conflicts must facilitate humanitarian medical operations and the organization stressed that all sides involved in the conflict have a legal obligation to respect and ensure respect for humanitarian law.
Humanitarian Workers Risking Their Lives
The testimony from Dr. Chawla highlights the growing dangers faced by doctors, nurses and aid workers operating in modern conflicts.
Despite repeated threats to their own safety, humanitarian teams continue to provide treatment to wounded civilians, often under extremely dangerous conditions.
For many healthcare workers in Gaza, the hospital has become not only a treatment center, but also a symbol of resilience amid destruction.
And even as bullets fly and explosions shake the surrounding areas, medical teams remain focused on one mission — saving lives.