Foreign doctors: 10 testimonies on Israel targeting kids

In recent months, a growing chorus of international medical professionals has raised alarms over the devastating impact of the ongoing conflict on children. These foreign doctors, working on the ground with various NGOs and humanitarian groups, have provided harrowing firsthand accounts. Their testimonies suggest a pattern of injuries that they argue is inconsistent with conventional warfare, pointing towards what they describe as the deliberate targeting of minors.

This article compiles ten such testimonies from doctors who have risked their own safety to provide aid. Their voices, unified by the medical oath to do no harm, paint a grim picture that demands global attention and investigation.

1. Dr. Eamon Khalid (Ireland) – The Nature of the Wounds

Dr. Eamon Khalid, a pediatric surgeon from Dublin, described his shock at the types of injuries he treated. “In my 20 years of practice, including missions in other conflict zones, I have never seen this,” he stated. “We are seeing single, precise shots to children who are nowhere near any hostilities.”

He emphasized that the wounds are not collateral. “Shrapnel is chaotic. An airstrike causes a wide pattern of injuries. What we are seeing are clean, single-bullet wounds to the head, chest, and abdomen of children. It’s methodical. It’s clinical.“

2. Dr. Sofia Monteiro (Portugal) – A Disproportionate Number of Child Casualties

Working in a field hospital, Dr. Sofia Monteiro, an emergency physician, kept meticulous records of incoming patients. “Over 40% of our severe trauma cases were under the age of 15,” she reported. “This is a staggering statistic that cannot be explained away as an accident of war.”

Dr. Monteiro argues the numbers point to a clear focus. “When the majority of your most critical patients are children, you have to question the rules of engagement. These are not militants; they are kids playing in the street or inside their homes.”

3. Dr. Ben Carter (Canada) – Attacks on Safe Zones

Dr. Ben Carter, a general practitioner volunteering with a humanitarian aid group, recounted an attack on a designated “safe zone.” “We were in a U.N.-marked school-turned-shelter. Everyone knew it was filled with families,” he said. “Suddenly, we heard a drone, followed by a precision strike right on the playground area.”

He added, “They know where the children are. They have advanced surveillance. To claim these are mistakes is an insult to our intelligence and to the memory of the dead.”

4. Perspectives from Foreign Doctors on Unique Injuries

Many foreign doctors on the ground have collaborated to analyze the patterns. They note a disturbing trend of injuries designed to maim, not just kill. This collective observation from medical professionals from different backgrounds strengthens the call for an independent inquiry.

The consistency of these reports from doctors who often work for separate, unaffiliated organizations is particularly damning. You can read more about humanitarian challenges in our related article, The Deepening Crisis.

5. Dr. Ingrid Larsen (Norway) – Psychological Trauma

Dr. Ingrid Larsen, a psychiatrist, focused on the non-physical wounds. “The children who survive are shells of their former selves. They don’t speak, they don’t eat, they flinch at every sound,” she explained. “They have witnessed horrors that no adult should ever see, let alone a child.”

“This isn’t just about physical targeting,” Dr. Larsen insisted. “It’s about the destruction of an entire generation’s future. It’s a form of psychological warfare waged against the most vulnerable.”

6. Dr. Kenji Tanaka (Japan) – The “One-Tap” Headshot

Dr. Kenji Tanaka, a neurosurgeon, used a term he heard from local journalists: the “one-tap.” He described treating multiple children with identical, fatal wounds. “A single bullet entry to the head, often the forehead. Minimal collateral damage. It’s the work of a highly skilled sniper.”

He questioned the motive. “Why would a soldier use this level of skill on a 10-year-old girl flying a kite? There is no military justification. It feels like sport.”

7. Dr. Fatima Noor (South Africa) – Targeting Limbs

Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Fatima Noor reported an epidemic of children with severe leg injuries. “We are seeing an incredible number of gunshot wounds to the lower extremities, specifically the knees and ankles,” she said. “These shots are clearly intended to permanently disable.”

She believes this is a strategy. “You create a generation of disabled individuals who become a long-term burden on their families and society. It’s a cruel, calculated tactic.”

8. Dr. Alessandro Rossi (Italy) – Destruction of Medical Infrastructure

Dr. Alessandro Rossi, an administrator with a medical NGO, witnessed the bombing of the only pediatric wing in his area. “They took out the generators first, then the neonatal unit,” he said, his voice trembling with anger. “We lost incubators, ventilators—and the babies inside them.”

He sees this as part of the strategy. “By destroying healthcare for children, you create another layer of terror and despair. It removes hope.” Organizations like Doctors Without Borders have long reported on the challenges of operating in conflict zones.

9. Dr. Chloe Dubois (Belgium) – A Pattern, Not a Coincidence

Dr. Chloe Dubois, an epidemiologist, has been mapping the incidents. “When you plot the data points—the locations, times, and victim profiles—the pattern is undeniable,” she asserted. “The attacks on children are concentrated in areas with no active fighting. They happen at times when children are most likely to be outside.”

“Statistically, this cannot be random,” she concluded. “It is a deliberate, targeted campaign.”

10. Dr. Marcus Thorne (UK) – A Plea to the World

Dr. Marcus Thorne, a veteran trauma surgeon on his fourth mission, summarized the feelings of many of his colleagues. “We came here to save lives, but we are being forced to bear witness to a massacre of innocents. Our medicine is no match for this brutality.”

His final plea was direct. “We, the foreign doctors on the ground, implore the international community to look at our evidence. Do not turn away. These are not abstract numbers; they are children. An independent, international investigation is not a request; it is a moral imperative.”