Healing amid rubble: HK medics in the heart of Gaza
發佈日期: 2025-10-14 21:03
TVB News
Since December last year, the Hong Kong Red Cross has sent six local medical volunteers to the heart of Gaza -- a region devastated by two years of conflict.
Now, as a new round of ceasefire takes hold, Hong Kong medics who returned from the war zone are appealing for more support to not just help with the ongoing humanitarian efforts, but also reconstruction plans in Gaza.
Dr. Au Yiu-kai had spent 35 years caring for Hong Kong's patients.
Yet, his most testing moments have come far from home -- over the past 11 humanitarian missions in war zones.
Dr. Au says he witnessed the most heart-wrenching moments in his three most recent deployments in Gaza.
Dr. AU YIU-KAI, Volunteer Doctor, HK Red Cross: "In Ukraine, in Iraq, in Yemen, the victims we received, mostly they are soldiers. They are the militants. But this time, (the) most we received are civilians, and we can see a lot of elderly people, women and children. They are being attacked. It's quite heartbreaking."
Also having served three missions in Gaza was nurse Walter Leung, a recent recipient of the Florence Nightingale Medal.
Fighting back tears, he recalls one searing moment in Gaza when they were moving the body of a teenage boy who didn't survive his injuries, then a woman, covered in wounds, passed by and recognised her now lifeless son.
But as the woman needed emergency surgery, medics had to separate them, knowing she would never see him again.
For emergency doctor Stanley Chau, extremely tight resources at the field hospital meant they cannot treat some critically injured patients.
Dr. STANLEY CHAU, Volunteer Doctor, HK Red Cross: "Sometimes when there are too many patients when they come here, we have limited resources, we cannot cure everyone. Of course, this is a difficult choice. I am still asking myself -- is it a good choice or not."
From December to February, the Hong Kong Red Cross is planning to deploy at least three medical personnels to a field hospital in Gaza, while calling on the public to continue supporting their humanitarian relief and reconstruction efforts.
The International Committee of the Red Cross -- as a neutral intermediary -- has also helped facilitate the latest transfer of 20 Israeli hostages released by Hamas.
As most hospitals in Gaza have been badly damaged, Red Cross field hospitals are now handling around 700 cases a day -- more than double last year's figure.
Even though the ceasefire offers a brief respite, the scars of war remain deep.
