Ted Fioraliso of WENY-TV reports:
A Southern Tier doctor is back from a medical mission to Gaza. “Going there really enlightened me and opened my eyes,” said Dr. Ismail Mehr.
Mehr is happy to be home at St. James Hospital in Hornell after a weeklong trip to Gaza with other American doctors.
“It’s sort of addictive work. After you've done it once, I think anyone who goes and has any human sense to them --it affects you in a different way,” said Mehr.
Dr. Mehr, an anesthesiologist, performed a handful of surgeries each day at Gaza City's Shiffah Hospital.
Some of his patients had war-related injuries, but others were suffering from substandard medical treatment. Since Israel imposed an embargo on Gaza, nothing comes in and nothing goes out -- including medicine and equipment.
“Everyone is focusing on the 1,300 people who were killed in these strikes and the 6,000 or so wounded. But, there's a number that's unspoken for that is going to continue if this embargo stays in effect,” said Mehr.
Mehr and the others spent their down time at a local orphanage. He says being with the kids was rewarding, but what they told him was horrifying.
“That was something really overwhelming. They told stories of their parents in the rubble, or their house blown away,” he said.
Mehr says he really didn't know much about the conflict before his trip, and says you have to see it yourself to see what it's done to the people of Gaza.
“Despite them losing everything, and basically not having anything left to live for anymore, they went out of their way to host us. And we made some very strong bonds, and we all felt we left some family members behind,” said Mehr.
