Gaza: MSF mourns third MSF colleague killed in less than 20 days

It is with profound sorrow and outrage that Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders (MSF) confirms the death of our colleague Abed El Hameed Qaradaya. Abed is now the fifteenth MSF staff member killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023.

Despite the care provided by the medical teams, he succumbed to his shrapnel injuries on Sunday 5 October, following the attack on Thursday 2 October, in which our colleague Omar Hayek was also killed, and several others were injured.

The attack, carried out by Israeli forces in Gaza, struck a street where our teams were waiting to take a bus to go to work at MSF field hospital in Deir Al-Balah. All staff were wearing MSF vests, clearly identifying them as medical humanitarian workers.

Abed was 43 years old and is now the fifteenth MSF staff member killed in Gaza since 7 October 2023. He is our third colleague killed in less than 20 days.

Abed and Omar left Gaza City following evacuation orders and relentless attacks by Israeli forces, only to be killed by those same forces in what was described as a “safer zone”. There is no safe place in Gaza.

Our thoughts are with Abed’s wife and two children. His loss is immense and has a tragic impact on his loved ones, MSF and the health system in Gaza.

For 18 years, Abed El Hameed was a cornerstone of MSF’s physiotherapy department in Gaza. He was a unique and invaluable specialist in both physiotherapy and occupational therapy. Abed was dedicated not only to his patients’ physical recovery but also to restoring their hope and sense of dignity.  

Abed continued working tirelessly in the face of immense challenges including shortage of supplies due to Israeli blockade. He innovated and adapted tools, working with tailors and logisticians to create custom compression suits for burns patients, and adapted walkers to fit specific needs of individual patients wounded and amputated during this genocide. He was the driving force behind opening up the 3D physiotherapy department, insisting on bringing in new technologies for patient care into Gaza.

Abed will be remembered by his colleagues as an ever optimistic and deeply compassionate person, a true friend, always ready to support, encourage, and inspire.

MSF calls for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the bloodshed. We are profoundly grieved and outraged by the loss of our colleagues, a stark reminder of the pattern of complete disregard for civilian lives and human dignity.