Feeling The Emptiness

Photo courtesy of Dr. Shariq Sayeed

3/11/09 Coverage

UK aid convoy crosses into Gaza

Boxer Amir Khan helps raise funds for Palestine

Malaysia collects funds for humanitarian relief

British SatelliteNews video

Arlington TX to Host Gaza Event

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: An American Doctor's Journey in Palestine
"What you did not see on CNN"

Dr. Ismail Mehr, head of anesthesiology at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, N.Y. and a member of the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA), will be speaking at University of Texas at Arlington about his first-hand experiences working in Gaza and treating patients with severe illnesses and injuries. Dr. Mehr is one of ten American doctors that dared to enter the extremely battered city of Gaza in Palestine after the Israeli war ended in January of 2009. Dr. Mehr and his colleagues treated the influx of a dying population in Shifaa Hospital. Please join us as we gather to learn about the untold stories of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The presentation will start at 3:00 p.m. sharp. DON'T BE LATE! Please invite your friends and colleagues to attend this important event.

Friday, March 13 2009
3-5 PM

University of Texas-Arlington
University Center, Concho Room (2nd Floor)
300 W First St
Arlington TX

For more details and RSVP, follow the Facebook link
Email: suhasamihsuleiman@yahoo.com

Sponsored by:
Justice 4 Palestine Social Action Committee [DFW]
UTA MSA
CAIR DFW

Somebody's Home

Photo courtesy of Dr. Shariq Sayeed

Event for Gaza in Hornell NY

Gaza’s Dilemma
Presented by Dr. Ismail A. Mehr Team Leader, from Hornell

Dr. Mehr led a team of 9 physicians and 2 non medical personnel on a relief mission in Gaza recently. “We were the only Americans in Gaza” said Mehr when asked about other relief organizations and their work. Come join us to hear about what it is like to be in a war zone from the only American who dared go.

Monday March 16th 2009
7pm

Knights of Columbus
251 Main Street
Hornell NY

Sponsored by:
The Hornell Alfred Unitarian Universalist Society (HAUUS) & Steuben County Green Party

MPAC to Host Gaza Dinner in Rochester NY

MPAC (Muslim Public Affairs Council) Rochester presents: "American Medical Mission to Gaza" Dinner

An eye witness account by American Muslim Doctors who volunteered their time away from their families to help the sick and wounded at Shifa Hospital in Gaza.

Presentations by: Dr. Hafiz Rehman (Pres. IMANA), Dr. Ismail Mehr (Hornell, NY), Dr. Imran Qureshi, Dr. Ahmed Colwell, Dr. Kanwal Chaudhry…

Saturday March 28th, 2009
6:00 pm Sharp!

Turkish Society of Rochester
677 Beahan Rd.
Rochester NY 14624

Tickets:
Adults…….$15.00
Students…..$10.00
5-12 yrs……$8.00
Under 5……...Free

For Information and Ticket Sales Contact:
Pres Bilal Binici 737-0622
V.P. Mesut Vardar 389-3907
Sec. Umaira Khan 662-9559
Treas. Fatih Binici 208-2779
Farzana Razvi 256-0017
Arifa Idris 716-316-9637

Dr. Ismail Mehr Speaks On Gaza

Ben Dean-Kawamura of Indymedia (Rochester NY) reports:

As soon as I entered the Unitarian Church on Thursday I was told they needed more chairs. I brought the chairs to the room where Dr. Ismail Mehr was presenting on his experience with the Islamic Medical Association of North America, which was overflowing with about 75 people. I took a seat at the doorway and watched him speak.

When I heard Dr. Mehr talk about the suffering and destruction that he witnessed I felt completely devastated. I think the almost everyone in the room was as well. Today I recorded Dr. Mehr talk about his experience in Palestine, click the links below to hear it.

Intro, medical situation in Gaza, effects of the embargo on medical care, children in Palestine Part 1 (ogg) - Part 1 (mp3)

Getting into Gaza, Egypt and Palestine, the effect of war on Gaza, white phosphorous Part 2 (ogg) - Part 2 (mp3)

Leaving Gaza, ways to help, AMMG's future plans Part 3 (ogg) - Part 3 (mp3)

For more information, check out Islamic Medical Association of North America's website as well as the American Medical Mission to Gaza Blog . Dr. Mehr will be presenting twice more in the Rochester area in the near future. Tuesday, March 24, 6:30pm in Brockport. and Friday March 27th, 5:30pm at the U of R.

Sun Sets On Gaza

Photo courtesy of Dr. Ismail Mehr

3/8/09 Coverage

Doctors struggling to treat Gaza's suffering wounded

Gaza aid promised, but may be a long time coming

'Viva Palestina' aid convoy nears Rafah

Congressmen urge stepped up efforts on Gaza aid

3/6/09 Coverage

Britain aid convoy reaching Egypt

The Lancet reports malnutrition, stunted growth in children

AFP: Palestinian health system going backwards

Reuters video: Homeless Gaza civilians live in tents

Gaza Event at University of Rochester Medical Center

The Islamic Medical Association of North America Rochester Student Chapter presents, free and open to the public:

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza

Featurting eyewitness accounts by American Medical Mission to Gaza physicians Dr. Ismail Mehr, Dr. Rick Colwell & Dr. Imran Qureshi

Friday March 27, 2009
Class of 1962 Auditorium
URMC/Strong Memorial Hospital
601 Elmwood Avenue
Rochester NY

5:30-7:00PM

Co-sponsored by: PHR- Physicians for Human Rights,
MPAC-ROC Muslim Political Action Committee

For more information contact:
President, Imran_Punekar@urmc.rochester.edu
Vice President, Nurain_Fuseini@urmc.rochester.edu
IMANA-Rochester

Gaza Event in Brockport NY

Mercy in a War Zone
Gaza's Dilemma

In January, a group of American doctors went to Gaza to provide humanitarian relief because they felt they “had to do something.”

Please join us in welcoming the leader of the medical team,

Dr. Ismail Mehr

Dr. Mehr will share his experiences and discuss the reality of war in a way we haven’t seen it before.

Tuesday, March 24
6:30 PM
Edwards Hall Blue Room
The College at Brockport, State University of New York
Brockport NY 14420

This program is proudly sponsored by Students for Peace and Justice

Standing Tall

Photo courtesy of Dr. Rick Colwell

The Spectrum Reports on Dr. Mehr Event

Amanda Woods of The Spectrum (Buffalo NY) reports:

Benefit instills awareness of suffering in Gaza

Two people who have had extensive first-hand experiences in the turmoil-filled territory of Gaza Strip discussed the graphic scenes they witnessed at Salvatore's Italian Gardens Restaurant on Friday night in conjunction with UB's Organization of Arab Students (OAS) and the Muslim Student Association (MSA).

The event titled "A Benefit for Palestine: Shedding Light on the Atrocities in Gaza," which was co-sponsored by the Western New York Peace Center, was held with the purpose to help promote awareness and fundraise for the people suffering in the Gaza Strip.

Tamera Akarah, president of the OAS, opened the night by explaining the central purpose of the event.

"This event is not only about raising money for the people in Palestine, but also raising awareness," Akarah said.

The two speakers of the night believed that it was extremely important that all be made aware of the violence and suffering in Gaza.

Ismail Mehr, head of anesthesiology at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, N.Y. and a member of the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA) spoke about his first-hand experiences working in Gaza and treating patients with severe illnesses and injuries.

There were once 13 hospitals in Gaza, two-thirds of which were destroyed during the Israeli invasion, according to Mehr. Perhaps the most severe problem that prevents Palestinian patients from receiving proper medical attention is the embargo that Israel placed on the Gaza strip.

"The embargo has caused the medical system to be choked off, so we ended up inheriting children dying of diabetes and cancer," Mehr said. "Because of the embargo, nothing goes into Gaza and nothing comes out."

Mehr pointed out that in Gaza, normal routine illnesses that could have been taken care of anywhere, even in third-world countries, were not being adequately addressed because the proper medications and supplies were not allowed into the region. During his time in Gaza, Mehr found that there was no local anesthesiologist, no monitors to provide anesthesia and no chemotherapy to treat cancer.

The medical world was not the only realm affected by the embargo, according to Mehr. He visited a partially built orphanage, but because the embargo does not allow any materials or building supplies to come in, the orphanage will probably not be completed.

Mehr was shocked to see that basic necessities were being denied entry due to the embargo.

"There is no doubt that Gaza is the world's largest open-air prison," Mehr said.

Mehr explained that one of IMANA's future goals in Gaza is the unequivocal entry of medical and humanitarian teams into the region. However, this can only be possible if the current embargo is loosened or eliminated.

"None of this is going to happen if this embargo remains in place," Mehr said.

The second speaker for the night was Laila El-Haddad, a Palestinian journalist and writer based between Gaza and the United States who reports for the al-Jazeera English web site and the Guardian Unlimited.

Israeli disengagement in Gaza does not better the situation or prevents civilians from suffering, according to El-Haddad.

"Gaza is still occupied after disengagement," El-Haddad said.

El- Haddad used the metaphor of a gerbil cage to relate what Gaza is like even after disengagement. Even if the obstacles are removed, the cage still remains.

"There is no escape and there is no entry," El-Haddad said. "There is nowhere to run to."

In addition to the talks by Mehr and El-Haddad, attendees at the event were treated to a four-course meal. They also bid on various Palestinian-made accessories and decorations during an auction at the end of the night.

People called the event eye-opening, yet enjoyable experience.

Rawey Kased, a junior media study major and member of OAS, believed that the true success of the event lied in the new awareness that many gained of the suffering in Gaza.

"This event was very successful not only because we raised a substantial amount of money for the children suffering in Gaza, but also because it promoted awareness here in America," Kased said.

Another attendee at the benefit, local resident Mehla Abdallah, emphasizes the importance of seeing through the eyes of the Gazans.

"The people need to know what is going on in Gaza. We must speak out and show our love and support," Abdallah said. "All of the money in the world that we raise will never be enough for our country, our love—Palestine."

3/4/09 Coverage

UN: Aid inflow remains restricted

Donors pledge $3B to rebuild Gaza

14 truck convoy finally granted entry after 18 days of negotiations in Egypt

Article featuring Dr. Qureshi published in a variety of news organizations including Counterpunch.org, Media Monitors Network, CommonDreams.org, Online Journal, Mathaba News Network, Australia.TO, Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, Scoop Independent News (NZ), and many blogs around the world.

Naperville Radiologist Stunned by Gaza Scene

Elitsa Bizios of Naperville Community Televison, Channel 17 reports:

Dr. Imran Qureshi Tells What he Saw




Naperville radiologist Dr. Imran Qureshi normally doesn’t do without the most modern technology and sterile equipment.

But those standards looked like luxuries in war torn Gaza… the doctor returned from there last month.

With 1300 dead and thousands left homeless Radiologist and Naperville Resident Imran Qureshi says the after math of Israel’s recent military offenses are nothing short of devastating.

Qureshi was one of a team of 9 physicians that went to the Middle East to assist at Gaza’s largest hospital. He says the facility was very run down and far from medical standards we’d expect in the US. The Islamic Medical Association of North America coordinated the trip to Gaza. The nonprofit provides medical and humanitarian aid when possible.

Qureshi and his team were able to help nearly forty people. He says the experience was humbling. He is now working with doctors and congress representatives to try and get medical staff into the now sealed boarders of Gaza.

“A lot of people have never left this small patch of land about the size of Naperville and it just hits you,” Qureshi says. “These people are so isolated from the rest of the world, there’s really no one out there that’s trying to help them.

To learn more about Dr. Qureshi trip visit ammgaza.com

Global Research Article Features Dr. Imran Qureshi

Medical Mission Heroes in the Middle East War Theater

Sonia Nettnin of Global Research reports:

The Obama Administration should help war and occupation’s victims receive humanitarian assistance, and they should help the injured travel abroad for medical care. Moreover, the Obama Administration should help all medical professionals who travel to war torn areas, so they can care for the victims and train local doctors.
　
Recently, the Human Rights Program of the University of Chicago, Amnesty, along with Students for Justice in Palestine hosted a panel discussion of medical professionals who care for the victims of war and occupation.
　
The panel included: Dr. Ra-id Abdulla, a pediatric cardiologist from Rush Hospital in Chicago, who led several missions to Iraq and Palestine over ten years. As a volunteer, he screened hundreds of children, many who had life-saving, cardiac surgery; and he developed a formal, training program for Iraqi doctors in his specialty. Dr. Scott Eggener, a urologist and assistant professor at the University of Chicago, is an active member of IVUMed (International Volunteers in Urology). He participated in volunteer educational and surgical missions to Cuba, Honduras, Morocco, Myanmar, Rwanda, and Palestine; Dr. Imran Qureshi, an interventional radiologist at Rush-Copley Medical Center, was one of nine, American doctors who traveled to Gaza after Israel’s “Operation Cast Lead;” and Steve Sosebee, President & CEO of Palestine Children Relief Fund. For nearly two decades his organization has sent over 800 children overseas for surgery and medical care.
　
“I’ve seen the slow deterioration of Gaza over the past, 20 years,” Sosebee said. He explained that the purpose of creating the PCRF was to address the humanitarian needs of kids living under occupation and not having access to adequate health care. His full-time staff identify kids who need surgery and medical treatment relief. “We’ve identified 15 kids to send outside and we can’t get them out…we can’t get Israel or Egypt to permit them outside,” he added.
　
In the recent invasion of Gaza, nearly 6,000 people were injured and over 1,300 people killed, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Nearly 1,900 of the injured were children and out of the more than 1,300 killed, 410 were children.
　
Sosebee explained that many children who experienced head and neurological injuries live with permanent, brain injuries. Also, children who lost their limbs and are in need of prosthetic limbs and rehabilitative services are confined to wheelchairs now. With permanent disabilities these children have no future because there are no rehabilitative services to provide lifelong assistance for them in Gaza.
　
“We’re trying to do something on a positive level,” Sosebee said. “This is a human issue…we need to use energy in a positive way…surgery, humanitarian aid is an appropriate response.”
　
Volunteer Medical Teams and Humanitarian Aid
　
Dr. Qureshi gave a visual and qualitative, slideshow presentation of his recent visit to Gaza. He showed photos of destroyed civil and residential buildings, including the rubble of the Catholic Relief Services’ medical center. Overturned cement trucks and inoperable, damaged ambulances only prolongs rebuilding the Gaza Strip.
　
On March 1st Human Rights Watch issued the press release: Israel/Gaza: Donors Should Press Israel to End Blockade. They explained: “International donors to Gaza's reconstruction and development should call on Israel to end its punishing blockade of the territory and to allow needed humanitarian assistance and normal commerce to resume.”
　
Their findings have been released one-day ahead of the high-level conference for Gaza reconstruction, in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. The organization emphasizes that the number of humanitarian and commercial truckloads needed to sustain the 1.5 M people living in Gaza are in-park at the border crossings. Therefore, the number of trucks allowed to cross over the border do not meet the peoples’ daily needs.
　
Last week the media reported the US would be donating US $900 M at tomorrow‘s international donors conference, where US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is scheduled to speak.
　
Is it Enough? Gaza Stripped, Occupation Remains
　
Out of the 1.5 M refugees living in Gaza, an estimated 100,000 are homeless. They live in a white sea of tents, with 25 people living in each tent. After surviving the recent invasion, these people struggle in cold weather. They do not have heat, electricity, running water, and few belongings.
　
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency is supporting an estimated 700,000 Palestinians living in Gaza. In their recent report, “Quick-Response Plan to Restore Critical Services to Refugees in Gaza,” UNRWA estimates their budget needs for January through September 2009 is an estimated $346 M.
　
Is it enough? Qureshi showed photos of the destroyed Palestinian Ministry of Health and Agriculture buildings. As an interventional radiologist, Quereshi’s medical specialties include: biopsies, fibroid embolization, hepatobiliary intervention, as well as vascular and interventional procedures. When he worked in Al-Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza, the hospital has a capacity of 80-100 beds. Yet, there were over 400 patients in the hospital. He said the hospital lacked medical equipment and sterile supplies.
　
“I used tape to tape up some of the equipment,” he said, showing the slide of his repairs. Then he showed a slide of modernized, medical equipment - in typical use throughout the US or Europe. The stark contrast was obvious. Without financial, logistical and training aid, Al-Shifa Hospital does not have the resources to modernize itself.
　
Originally, Al Amal Orphan Society had 250 orphans. Now they have 2000 new orphans, with few funds and supplies to handle the influx of kids. A building that was under construction to be a new UN school will house the orphanage. At present, it is a bare, cement floor with pillars supporting the ceiling.
　
Training Local Doctors
Abdulla started going on medical missions to Iraq over ten years ago. Although there are only 42 pediatric cardiology fellowship programs in the US, he was not aware of any Arab country that had formal training for their doctors. As a result, he brought a team of Belgium cardiologists and physicians into Iraq. Together, they developed a formal training program in Iraq, along with a pediatric cardiac center. “I spent a lot of time and effort,” he added.
　
In 2003, the US invaded Iraq. Looters stole medical equipment from the ICUs and set fire to the hospitals. He thought all of the efforts he made over the years had gone to waste. Yet, the important training he provided the Iraqi doctors came to life. They rebuilt their centers.
　
“That’s when I realized the importance of the small contribution I was doing…it was the infrastructure we were able to leave behind, what we were able to teach them,” Abdulla said.
　
Medical professionals of diverse backgrounds have demonstrated that their volunteer surgery and medical initiatives are imperative for the people on the receiving end of war and occupation. It is up to individuals in the international community to continue making contributions that aid people in their time of need.
　
Political leadership’s role is to help victims rehabilitate in every way possible so they can lead normal lives.
　
Our children - no matter who they are or where they are from - should not be left to fend for themselves.
　
Sonia Nettnin is a journalist who writes about social, political, economic, and cultural issues. Her focus is the Middle East.

CNN Video: Civilian Casualties in Hospital

CNN

Survivor

Photo courtesy Drs. Labib and Labiq Syed

3/1/09 Coverage

UK doctor describes medical conditions in Gaza

Japan to pledge $200M relief aid

Getting aid into Gaza is the real issue

Event for Gaza Awareness in Rochester NY

Dr. Ismail Mehr
Talks about his experience with the American Medical Mission to Gaza

Brian Lenzo
Talks about American responsibility for and support of the violence in Palestine

Ryan Acuff
Talks about University of Rochester students efforts to stop University funding of war and occupation

March 6 2009
7PM
First Unitarian Church of Rochester
220 Winton Rd S
Rochester, NY 14610
Map It

Sponsored by Rochester Against War
info@rochesteragainstwar.org

Facilitated by Judith Bello

2/27/09 Coverage

Red Cross calls for easing of border restrictions

European Union chief Javier Solana to visit Gaza

Dubai artists find a way to help Gaza

Al Jazeera video

Doctor to Describe Aiding Palestinians in Gaza

Maki Becker of the Buffalo News reports:

Dr. Ismail Mehr, an anesthesiologist at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, led a team of American doctors into Gaza following Israel’s incursion into the Palestinian territory late last year.

Tonight, he is scheduled to speak at an event in Salvatore’s Italian Gardens in the Town of Lancaster to raise money for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund, which is aiding the children of Gaza.

The fundraiser is sponsored by University at Buffalo Arab Students, the UB Muslim Student Association and the Western New York Peace Center.

Mehr said his team of 11 doctors and two nonmedical personnel, many of them members of Islamic Medical Association of America, were the only Americans allowed into Gaza following Israel’s three-week offensive, which began after militants in Gaza fired rockets into southern Israel.

A veteran of treating mass casualties in major disasters, Mehr said being in Gaza was especially disturbing, not because he is a Muslim but because “the whole situation there is a man-made situation, on both sides,” referring to both Israel and the Palestinian territories.

“I’ve gone to Banda Aceh [following the 2004 tsunami], to Kashmir; those are all acts of God or acts of nature,” he said. “But when it’s a man-made conflict, as a human being, a physician, it’s really disturbing.”

Mehr, like other members of the American Medical Mission to Gaza, is adamant about keeping politics out of the work.

“We were purely apolitical— humanitarian,” he said. “We didn’t care who our patients were. You ended up consumed by the situation. We just did our work.”

Mehr’s team was in Gaza from Jan. 21 until Jan. 31.

“Most of our team dealt with trauma and infection of trauma injuries that weren’t taken care of right away,” Mehr said.

He wasn’t faulting the doctors who had been trying to care for the patients.

“When you’re having 200 people an hour coming to your emergency room — there isn’t a hospital in the U. S. that can handle that kind of volume. The injuries included burns and wounds that required amputations,” Mehr said.

Mehr said he couldn’t help but notice what he believed were the consequences of the two-year blockade imposed by Israel and Egypt on Gaza.

“What really caught us by surprise were the effects of the embargo,” he said. “We ended up taking care of people who were not just injured from the war, but were dying of cancer and chronic illnesses who couldn’t be treated because they didn’t have the medicines and didn’t have the medical expertise.”

mbecker@buffnews.com

Where's My Daddy?

Hiba Saloum, a 4 year old Palestinian girl has been asking her mother this question since the day her father was killed. Her father, Mohammad, was a hero so to speak. It was afternoon, and the call for prayers had been made. As per his daily routine, Mohammad went to offer afternoon prayers. Few had been brave enough or dared to come out of their homes and offer prayers in a congregation during the recent conflict. I suppose it is very likely that he would have been asking God to help end the endless days of attacks. Little did he know what fate had in store for him.

Those who survived the upcoming deadly afternoon explained that as they were offering their prayers the loud supersonic sounds of approaching F-16 fighter jets were heard overhead. Following a large explosion that had jolted everyone to the ground, the jets unloaded an arsenal of missiles upon the local police station. The police station was completely decimated. Hiba’s uncle, Gibran, who also was in the mosque, described the carnage. I can only picture it in my mind, like a seen from a Hollywood movie. He said there were body parts strewn across the rubble, some people were simply gasping for their last breaths, while others could be heard screaming for help. A scene of utter and total chaos along with despair beyond belief.

Hiba's father and the others who were nearby ran to help their fellow brothers and sisters. As they were scouring through the wreckage helping and searching for survivors, an attack helicopter soon appeared and showered a hail of bullets and rocket fire on the small crowd beneath. Mohammad died helping others that day. I found a tear rolling down my cheek, as Hiba’s mother Fatima and Gibran told me the story. Hopefully one day Hiba can understand that her father died helping fellow man--a hero in my book.

History tends to only record the number of dead, seriously wounded, and the children who are hurt or killed during war. What I noticed, were the ones who are unspoken for. The children, like Hiba, The orphans--regardless if they lost one or both parents. Life is never the same for any child who has lost a parent, but imagine the uphill battle to survive in a war torn region like Gaza. Life is hard enough for the ones who survive year after year, despite the embargo and all its effects. Operation "Cast Lead" left over 2000 new orphans who ask the same questions. These children experience nightmares, bedwetting, and even the loss of control of their bowels--Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an understatement, to say the least.

As physicians we are trained to handle all situations and all types of patients. But I could not find the words to console the children who told stories of seeing their parent’s bodies under the rubble, or bullet-ridden torsos lying in the front yard. The effects of 23 days of bombings and planes flying overhead have taken their toll on many, but it is the children who must live on with such memories, that need us most now.

It is heartening to see surgeons, trauma doctors, pediatricians and critical care specialists volunteer their time but we must not lose sight of the most important part of the body that has taken the greatest blow--the beautiful mind. I applaud my colleagues in the mental health professions that traveled to Gaza and can only hope that the borders are eased so that these heroes of medicine can continue to come, listen, and treat the children. Hopefully they can better serve to help answer questions that many physicians cannot—like that of Hiba: "Where's my daddy?"

Dr. Ismail Mehr is an anesthesiologist from Hornell, NY. He was the team leader for the American medical mission.

Al Quds Hospital

AFP: Read the story of Al Quds Hospital

Photos courtesy of Drs. Rick Colwell and Shariq Sayeed

Dr Imran Qureshi Selected as CAIR Courage Awardee

CAIR to honor Hamza Yusuf, Roland Martin, Ahlam Jabra, Dr. Imran Qureshi

Dr. Imran Qureshi is an Interventional Radiologist practicing in Aurora, IL. He completed his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of Rochester near his hometown of Dansville, NY. After spending an internship year in Chicago, he completed his Radiology residency at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Qureshi returned to Chicago for a fellowship in Interventional Radiology at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. He has been in Aurora for 4 years. Dr. Qureshi joined a group of 9 physicians who traveled to Gaza to on a humanitarian medical mission sponsored by the Islamic Medical Association. While there he performed procedures on multiple patients, including a five year old with cancer and a 9 day old with renal failure. He is currently working with the team to push for a congressional hearing regarding the aftermath of war in Gaza to allow continued medical aid in the region. He has also been a regular contributor to a website put up by the team--the American Medical Mission to Gaza

Chicago Tribune Prints Correction

Corrections and clarifications, Feb. 25, 2009

February 25, 2009

•An article Friday in the Chicagoland Extra edition gave an incorrect nationality for Dr. Imran Qureshi, a Naperville radiologist who was part of a medical relief team made up of Muslim physicians and surgeons from across the U.S. who traveled to the Gaza Strip. Qureshi is an American-born citizen and the son of Pakistani immigrants. Also, the article incorrectly said Qureshi had never been to the Middle East before. He had never been to Gaza before.The Tribune regrets the errors.

From The Inside Looking Out

Photo courtesy of Dr. Shariq Sayeed

2/24/09 Coverage

Report: US to give $900M in Gaza aid

Children afraid to return to school

Rehab for amputees a long road, at Al Wafa

MSF teams provide follow up surgery

MUST SEE VIDEO: Dr. Rick Colwell in Al-Shifa Hospital (Al Jazeera)

Download High Resolution version here

Casualty of War

Photo courtesy of Dr. Kanwal Chaudhry

University of Chicago to Host Gaza Event

Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza: An Eyewitness Account

Thursday, February 26th
5:30 PM

Ida Noyes Cloister Club
1212 East 59th Street
Chicago 60637
*Hummus and pita from Cedars will be served.

A Panel Discussion with:
Steve Sosebee , Dr. Imran Qureshi, Dr. Ra-id Abdulla, and Dr. Scott Eggener

Steve Sosebee is the President & CEO of Palestine Children Relief Fund.
The Palestine Children's Relief Fund is a non-governmental organization that was established concerned people in the U.S. to address the medical and humanitarian crisis facing Palestinian youths in the Middle East. See www.pcrf.net

Dr. Imran Qureshi, a doctor at Rush-Copley Medical Center, was one 9 American doctors to go to Gaza after the December/January assault on Gaza.
Team Website
Dr. Qureshi's Personal Travelogue

Dr. Ra-id Abdulla, a doctor from Rush Hospital in Chicago, has led several missions to Palestine over the past several years as a volunteer; screening hundreds of children, many who later had life-saving surgery

Dr. Scott Eggener, a doctor and assistant professor at the University of Chicago, is an active member of IVUMed (International Volunteers in Urology). He has participated in volunteer educational and surgical missions to Cuba, Honduras, Morocco, Myanmar, Rwanda, and Palestine.

Sponsored by: Human Rights Program of the University of Chicago, Amnesty, Students for Justice in Palestine

Contact: afshan1@uchicago.edu

Homeless Crisis in Gaza

Al-Jazeera Video


AFP Video

Event for Gaza in Downers Grove IL

Islamic Medical Association of North America Dinner Meeting Medical Report on Gaza Health Care Catastrophe Post Ceasefire

Date: 3/4/2009
Time: 6:30 pm to 8 pm
Speakers: Dr. Muhyaldeen Dia, Associate Professor of Medicine at UIC
Dr. Imran Qureshi, Member of IMANA Medical Team to Gaza

Registration: $20/person (free for medical students. Seating limited to 50 attendees - Please RSVP before 2/25/09 to Dr. Naveed Akhtar at nnakhtar@aol.com)

Contact Info: Dr. Naveed Akhtar, President
Chicago Chapter of IMANA
T: 630-932-0000 630-915-3531
E: nnakhtar@aol.com

Ashiyana Banquets
1620 7th Street
Downers Grove, IL

This dinner will feature a medical report on the Gaza Health Care Catastrophe Post Ceasefire (IMANA had sent a team of doctors to Gaza. You can read more about Imran Qureshi's experience at AMMGaza) There will also be discussion of the latest trends in the treatment of hyperlipidemia.

2/21/09 Coverage

US Congressmen Ellison, Baird visit Gaza and recognize need for aid

Over 75% of humanitarian aid unable to make it into Gaza

Czech Republic announces 350K Euro aid to Gaza

Information Clearing House picks up video featuring Dr. Kanwal Chaudhry

Dr. Imran Qureshi on Fox-Affiliate WFLD (Chicago IL)

Gaza Awareness Event in Bath NY

Bath group plans dinner, Gaza trip presentation

Staff report • February 20, 2009

The Bath Peace and Justice Group will hold a potluck dinner at 6:30 p.m. March 4, followed by a slide presentation at 7 p.m. by Dr. Ismail Mehr, in the Empire Room of the Dormann Library, 101 West Morris St. in Bath.Mehr will describe his recent humanitarian trip to Gaza in the aftermath of the Israeli attacks on that territory.

Mehr, who is an anesthesiologist at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, recently led a 10-day medical mission to Gaza sponsored by the Islamic Medical Association of North America.
For more information about Mehr's trip, visit the American Medical Mission to Gaza blog. The event is free and open to the public. Call (607) 569-3564 for more information.

Naperville Radiologist Shocked by Conditions in Gaza

Noreen S. Ahmed-Ullah of the Chicago Tribune reports:

February 20, 2009

As a radiologist in the western suburbs, Dr. Imran Qureshi won't do procedures such as angiograms without the latest technology, monitoring devices and sterile equipment. But those medical standards seemed like luxuries when he spent a week in war-torn Gaza late last month.

The Naperville resident was part of a medical relief team made up of Muslim physicians and surgeons from across the U.S. who traveled to Gaza on the heels of a three-week Israeli offensive that Israel said was meant to halt rocket attacks by Hamas. About 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed in the conflict.

Qureshi, who is Palestinian but had never been to the Middle East, spent seven days in Gaza with 10 other U.S. doctors organized by the Lombard-based Islamic Medical Association of North America.

"It was a broken-down medical care system," said Qureshi, 35, who practices at Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora. "Compared to what we have here, it was very primitive."

When they crossed from Egypt into Gaza, a cease-fire between Israel and the ruling Hamas party had been in place for just five days. Buildings were scarred with bullet holes and missing walls, and mosques had lost their minarets. Inside Gaza's largest hospital, Al-Shifa, doctors were putting in 20-hour days treating people injured during airstrikes and fighting, or lacking proper care for long-term ailments.

The visiting doctors reset bones, treated people for gunshot wounds and changed dressings for burn patients, sometimes seeing burns all the way to the bones—a possible sign of white phosphorous, Qureshi said.

The physicians did other work that was not directly related to the latest conflict. They did reconstructive surgery, removed kidney tumors, surgically created access portals for dialysis patients—complex procedures that few, if any, physicians in Gaza were able to perform, Qureshi said.

He put his interventional radiology skills to use, demonstrating procedures for local doctors and working on patients.

Qureshi was shocked by the lack of medical resources created by years of fighting and border closings. "The system has not evolved," he said. "There's been no influx or out-flux of doctors to train in these types of procedures."

Qureshi brought with him three boxes with $75,000 worth of expired catheters, needles and surgical equipment, and free samples of painkillers and antibiotics given to him by sales representatives for medical supply companies.

Qureshi said most of the Palestinians he met showed no anger toward Israel or Hamas in the fighting's aftermath. The only person he met who expressed frustration was the head of an orphanage. A 17-year-old boy who lived there had been killed in an airstrike while walking from school, and younger kids who looked up to him were having nightmares and wetting their beds, the man told Qureshi.

The man also had lost his brother-in-law, "and he was venting a bit," Qureshi recalled. "He said, 'This is the life we live. We had 150 kids in the orphanage, and we were building a school for them. But we now have 2,000 orphans, and we can't build the school.' "

nahmed@tribune.com

**ERRORS: Please note that Dr. Qureshi is not Palestinian, he is an American and has no Palestinian heritarge. He has also frequently visited the Middle East, having been to Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and other nations.

Drs. Shariq Sayeed and Saeed Akthar on Free Speech News

Free Speech Radio's Aya Batrawy reports

The recent 23-day long Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip left an already strangled health care system struggling to survive. Doctors in the Gaza Strip are fraught with outdated equipment and are running dangerously low on medicine – as patients fight just to stay alive. In the second part of a series on Gaza's medical infrastructure, FSRN's Aya Batrawy reports.

Cityscape

Photo courtesy of Dr. Rick Colwell

Two Hornell Doctors 8 Miles Apart in a War Zone

Justin Head of the Evening Tribune (Hornell NY) reports:

Hornell, N.Y. - Eight miles apart and a world of difference.

The Tribune reported on Dr. Ismail Mehr’s 10-day humanitarian trip to Gaza City on Feb. 4, and what revelations he had from his experiences, but a look into the perspective of someone on the other side of the conflict shows a different point of view.

A few days after Mehr’s story was published, Dr. Stephan Greenberg of Hornell — an opthalmologist and also a staff member of St. James Mercy Hospital — revealed he was only a few miles from Mehr on the Israeli side during the conflict.

“We are not talking places that are a million miles away from each other. I can be sitting down at the beach and looking at Gaza. We are talking about a war between Hornell and Dansville or even closer, probably between five to eight miles. On a clear day you can see everything going on at the other side,” said Greenberg.

Greenberg was in Israel from Jan. 16 to Feb. 2, visiting his mother-in-law after a hip replacement. He was in Ashkelon when Palestinian rockets battered areas as close to a half of a mile from a home he owns there.

“On the first Saturday that we were there we were rocketed twice and I had to take cover. I slept in the basement that night,” said Greenberg. He said streets were abandoned, business were closed and people changed their routines, staying closer to home and curtailing their normal routines.

Greenberg has owned a home in Ashkelon for about 30 years and visits there frequently. His daughter, Galit Greenberg, is a Israeli lawyer and graduate of Hornell High School.

Mehr, an anesthesiologist, and also a Hornell High graduate, was surprised when he found out Greenberg was so close to him.

“He was in Ashkelon, really, from where I was I could see the Israeli drones flying over there,” said Mehr when he was told of his colleague’s whereabouts.

Greenberg was a member of the United States Navy for 20 years and retired a captain. He was a liaison to the Israeli Navy and has several connections in Israel. Greenberg started a residency program in the Tel Hashomer Sheba Medical Center and visited colleagues during his trip. He wants people to understand that during the latest military conflict Israel was provoked.

“I pose this question: how would the United States respond to a rocket sent over to Buffalo from Canada?” said Greenberg, adding, “No one reports how the Israeli troops hit houses with bombs that were not armed to warn the people to run.”

He thinks the media is biased and that reporting in the area is bad. On this view Mehr is in agreement, but that is probably one of the few. The doctors both said they respect each other but conversations with them reveal they have different accounts of the circumstances in the area. Greenberg insisted that Israel opens up its border frequently to care for patients.Mehr took a differing stance.

“Fortunately, I was present in Gaza and spoke with many physicians and had the opportunity to treat many patients. A majority of my patients were children with cancer and ware denied entry into both Egypt and Israel. The embargo did not allow for medical supplies to come in and thus these children were dying a slow grueling death. I think on the other side there are a few exceptions of individuals being allowed access for medical care but the numbers just don’t add up. Once again as a doctor my goal is to shed light on the embargo. I hope that this embargo is lifted so that humanitarian teams and medical specialists can help the courageous doctors and nurses of Gaza,” said Mehr in an email.

Gaza is restricted for all the right reasons, according to Greenberg. “Think of the Los Angelos gangs taking over,” said Greenberg, explaining that members of Hamas, the region’s elected government, fire rockets into civilian locations in Israel and use innocent people as shields.

“What do you expect when they put themselves inside a civilian population?” said Greenberg of reports of Gazans horrifically injured during the military operations.

Mehr cared for some of these injured people during his trip and Greenberg appreciated his effort.

“He put aside personal fear as part of the practice of his faith and he went to places that are dangerous and difficult to live in to help people in trouble. This is a guy that went to Pakistan after the earthquake, into seriously dangerous conditions and you can’t help but respect a guy like that, for going and doing what he thinks is the right thing to do,” said Greenberg.

At least they both agree on respect for one another.

“Dr. Greenberg has known me since I was a toddler and I have a great amount of respect for him. He’s a dear colleague. I am sure he knows that,” said Mehr.

2/18/09 Coverage

Mercy Corps aid worker describes situation in Gaza

UAE launches donation campaign to support victims of conflict

The National (Abu Dhabi) reports on Al Wafa Rehab Hospital. To read first-hand experiences of our medical team regarding this hospital click here.

Dr. Kanwal Chaudhry on GRITtv

GRITtv with Laura Flanders

Street Scene, Gaza City

Photo courtesy of Dr. Rick Colwell

2/16/09 Coverage

Chile and Pakistan send aid to Gaza

Aid convoy now a mile long, traveling from Madrid to Algeciras

100,000 remain homeless in Gaza

My New Home: Tent #7

Photo courtesy of Dr. Kanwal Chaudhry

Gaza Fundraiser in Philadelphia PA

A Fabulous Fundraiser for the Courageous People of Gaza

Enjoy presentations by Dr. Labiq Syed and Dr. Labib Syed, brothers out of Johns Hopkins and members of the Islamic Medical Association of North America/American Medical Mission to Gaza, who recently traveled to the war-torn Gaza and will share information about their trip.

*Lovely Middle Eastern food
*Spoken word: Poets Aysha El Shamayleh & Ashraf Osman
*Music: Paddy Corcoran (of Paddy and the Hostages)
*Informational Loop Presentation created by Aine Fox

Saturday February 28
5PM-8PM

Calvary Church (basement)
48th Street and Baltimore Avenue
Philadelphia PA

Ticket prices
$25 and above - solidarity
$10 - general admission
$5 - unemployed and students

All proceeds to United Palestinian Appeal

For more information contact: PhillyIAC@action-mail.org or call 215 724-1618

Sponsors: Philly International Action Center
EON (End Oppression Now)
PRAWN (Philadelphia Regional Anti War Network)
FIST (Fight Imperialism Stand Together)

Dr. Ismail Mehr Interviewed by NPR

Joyce Kryszak of the WBFO reports

***Viewer Discretion Is Advised***

A New Reality

Photo courtesy of Dr. Shariq Sayeed

The First Time I Was Scared

One of my favorite quotes is from FDR and his first inaugural speech “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. This truly described how as a team we all felt about being in a war torn region. The Gazan people themselves lived these words and showed such resilience that for any of us to be fearful seemed as if it were an insult to these brave people.

The sound of fighter jets overhead dropping bombs, the sight of Israeli patrol boats in the deep blue Mediterranean, or IDF soldiers along the border wall would make most people feel overwhelmed to say the least. Thankfully such incidents did not result in any feelings of anxiety nor overwhelming fear. We all soon became immune to these daily sights and sounds and went about our routine just as the Palestinian people went about life on a day-to-day basis.

Ironically, it was my last night in Gaza when I truly felt fear—but not fear for myself or my teammates. It was fear for a precious nine day old baby, Basem, whose life was in my hands. Routinely as an anesthesiologist, I deal with life and death every day, but this case was like no other. Basem had been born with a bladder abnormality resulting in the failure of both his kidneys. He needed an immediate life-saving intervention. A relatively common procedure back home in the USA was anything but routine in Gaza. Baby Basem required nephrostomy tubes, or in plain English, drainage tubes to be placed in each kidney. This was a temporizing measure until he could undergo corrective surgery for his bladder. The irony was there was no one in all of Gaza trained in either placing the drains or to do the surgery. It was a blessing for this family that our team had two highly-skilled interventional radiologists—Imran Qureshi and Labib Syed.

Taking care of a nine day old child in Al-Shifa's operating room would be no easy task. I asked Shazia Chaudhry, a highly-trained doctor in both pediatrics and emergency medicine to join me for this procedure. I soon discovered the operating room did not have anesthesia equipment small enough for Basem. My worst fear was now a reality; I would have to provide a general anesthetic to this deathly ill baby without any monitoring whatsoever and use a substandard anesthesia machine. Shazia was truly instrumental--as Imran and Labib were a blessing for the baby, Shazia was for me.

I can still vividly remember the feeling of my heart racing with anxiety, as I put this beautiful little baby to sleep, seeking reassurances from Shazia--who had one finger on Basem’s pulse while listening to him breathe through her stethoscope. The nightmare scenario worsened as we lost intravenous (IV) access and could not find a catheter small enough to start another one. No monitors, no IV and a nine day old baby whose life was in my hands. On the outside I may have been calm and cool, but on the inside it was shear fear running through my veins with each successive tick of the clock.

Imran and Labib rushed to improvise as they too were challenged by the embargo and its effects on Gaza’s healthcare system. They soon were also able to improvise and successfully place both tubes. I let out a sigh of relief as we took this tiny bundle of life to the recovery area.

My heart was no longer pounding, and as I sat down it dawned on me that what we did was only a temporary procedure. Corrective reconstructive bladder surgery would soon be required—and there was no one in all of Gaza that could do it. I prayed that night as I was leaving for home with mixed emotions. A sense of joy that Basem had the chance of living a normal life, and a sense of emptiness that all we did, might have been in vain. I still remained scared for Baby Basem.

Dr. Ismail Mehr is an anesthesiologist from Hornell, NY. He was the team leader for the American medical mission.

NPR interviews Dr. Labib and Labiq Syed

Sunni Khalid of the WYPR Reports

Perspective

Photo courtesy of Dr. Shariq Sayeed

Gaza and the Aftermath Part 2

Kevin Doran of WLEA 1480 AM interviews Dr. Ismail Mehr

** Please note the views of the host do not represent those of AMMG

Click here to listen to Gaza and the Aftermath Part 1

Gaza Event in Villa Park IL

Gaza: An Eyewitness Account

Featuring Dr. Imran Qureshi of IMANA/American Medical Mission to Gaza

Host: Islamic Foundation, Villa Park

Date: Sunday, February 22, 2009
Time: 1:30pm - 3:00pm
Location: Islamic Foundation
300 W. Highridge Road
Villa Park, IL

Phone: 6302042790
Email: nad0k@aol.com

The American Medical Mission to Gaza was the only group of American doctors to enter Gaza after the recent fighting to provide medical assistance and to witness the humanitarian crisis first-hand.

Dr. Imran Qureshi will be on hand to speak about his experiences in Gaza. Dr. Qureshi is a Radiologist at Rush Copely Medical Center in Aurora IL.

Event in Worcester MA for Gaza

WORCESTER, MA

Gaza: From the Inside Looking Out
Raising Awareness and Funds

Featuring
Dr. Ismail Mehr of IMANA/American Medical Mission to Gaza

Saturday, February 28th, 2009
1 PM
Worcester Islamic Center
248 East Mountain St
Worcester, MA 01606

The American Medical Mission to Gaza was the only group of American doctors to enter Gaza after the recent fighting to provide medical assistance and to witness the humanitarian crisis first-hand. Dr. Mehr led the group of doctors to the Gaza strip in January 2009 and now will be at the Worcester Islamic Center to share his personal experiences.

Event open to Public. Please Forward Widely
Hosted by the Worcester Islamic Center
RSVP to WICevent@gmail.com
Questions? Contact: WICevent@gmail.com
Facebook Event

American Doctors Return to US after Gaza Mission

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lombard IL (February 11, 2009) -- The physicians who returned from the 10 day humanitarian medical mission to the Gaza Strip - have resumed their daily practices. The group of eleven doctors - were the only American and Canadian physicians to travel to Gaza to provide humanitarian aid to the war-torn region.

“Going there really enlightened me and opened my eyes.” said Dr. Ismail Mehr, an anesthesiologist from Hornell New York - who led the group of specialists. “The situation was worse that we had ever imagined.” Along with Mehr, other doctors from American Medical Mission to Gaza treated patients with an assortment of injuries—burns, shrapnel wounds, and amputations.

“I was surprised and shocked to see the extent and degree of civilian casualties,” said Dr. Irfan Galaria a Salt Lake City plastic surgeon who treated several burn patients, some presumably from white phosphorus-related injuries. Galaria operated extensively on a facial injury of a 1-year old girl without the use of local anesthetic – a reoccurring problem in area desperately needing medical supplies.

“Every time I stuck her with the needle she could feel it.”

In a case that received international attention, Texas urologist Saeed Akhtar and Mehr removed a watermelon-sized tumor from the kidney of Abdullah Shawwa – a four year child. The tumor was attributed to untreated chronic disease that many in Gaza Strip are afflicted with because of the embargo posed on the region. Furthermore, Mehr noted “Due to travel restrictions and the embargo, kids like Shawwa may not be able to receive appropriate follow-up care due to lack of medical expertise and equipment.”

Dr. Rick Colwell, an emergency room doctor from Sioux City, Iowa who was part of the mission said, “Something has to be done about this embargo...it’s inhumane.”

“We were the only Americans to go to Gaza and we will probably be the only ones to go as far as a relief team that is strictly defined under the charter of an American charitable organization,” Mehr said. With the announcement that Egypt will reseal the Rafah border crossing with Gaza and Israel continuing its embargo on the region – Mehr and his team might be the last group of American physicians to provide any humanitarian aid to a area inflicted with high number of causalities and fatalities due to Israeli strikes and poor medical resources.

The team of volunteers also included Dr. Imran Qureshi, a radiologist from Naperville, Illionis, Dr. Kanwal Shazia Chaudhry a pediatric and emergency room specialist from New York City, Dr. Labiq Syed, a research fellow at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Labib Syed an interventional radiologist from Baltimore, and Dr. Shariq Sayeed a vascular surgeon from Atlanta. Ahmed Kasem, an attorney with the California firm, Kasem, Ko & Ahmed assisted the team with logistics.

Gaza and the Aftermath Part 1

Kevin Doran of WLEA 1480 AM interviews Dr. Ismail Mehr

** Please note the views of the host do not represent those of AMMG

Gaza Fundraiser in Buffalo NY

Organization of Arab Students, Muslim Student Association, and Western New York Peace Center are presenting a Charity Banquet (a fundraising event for Gaza)

February 27th,2009 from 6pm-11pm
*Dinner served at 7pm (Halal Meat)

Salvatore's Italian Gardens Restaurant,
6461 Transit Road Depew, NY 14043

Speaker Laila El-Haddad (Past Al Jazeera Correspondent)
Speaker Dr. Ismail Mehr (IMANA Relief/American Medical Mission to Gaza)
Auctions

**Donations to the Palestinian Children Relief Fund
**Tickets are on sale! You may purchase them from eboard members or
SBI Ticket Office 221 Student Union
$20 Students
$30 non-students

For further information feel free to contact Tamera Akarah (716) 400-3741

2/10/09 Coverage

Qatar doctors perform 100 surgeries

UN resumes aid in Gaza

Slovenia President Tuerk welcomes aid initiative