Gaza: Six Days In The World's Largest Prison

Author(s):
Mohamed Hatta Shaharom, Senior Vice President (Academic), Psychiatrist & Dean, Faculty of Medicine, Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS), 63000 Cyberjaya, Selangor, Malaysia.

Abstract:
This is a personal experience with MERCY Malaysia’s Team 7 during its six-day sojourn in Gaza immediately after the 22-day war. It was a mission cut short. We were asked to evacuate as Israel intensified its shelling. This paper is divided into two main parts: First, my observations as a psychiatrist and humanitarian volunteer; and second, a plan for a psychosocial programme in Gaza.

Methods:
This paper is divided into two main parts: My observations as a psychiatrist and humanitarian volunteer; and a plan for a psychosocial programme in Gaza.

Conclusion:
My conclusions can be summarised as follows:

1. Psychosocial programmes (which are not new to Palestine) need the direct aid of the world community and its international humanitarian agencies;

2. A comprehensive survey must be done on the need for additional psychiatrists, psychologists and psychiatric drugs;

3. The closed borders of Gaza made it impossible for swift humanitarian aid to enter the blockaded strip of land;
Apart from making sure that their own projects get off the ground, volunteers could help other needy agencies (personal communication: Malaysians were approached by our team members to sponsor a new bulldozer for the Khan Yunis governorate).

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