A Doctor Symbolizing The Profession of Surgery : Dr. Ahmad Qandeel

In this piece, I wish to dedicate a few lines in memory of Dr. Ahmed Ataullah Qandeel — one of the brightest figures of the Palestinian medical community. During the dark days when the skies of Gaza were shrouded in oppression and devastation, Dr. Qandeel, like many other devoted physicians and professionals, became one of the shining stars that illuminated those darkened skies. Throughout the genocide, the Palestinian medical community — using all its knowledge and resources in service of Gaza until their final breath — transformed medicine itself into a form of humanitarian resistance, a movement of conscience and honor that perfectly reflected the true nature of the profession. Among those who embodied this noble transformation was Dr. Qandeel, who turned the art of surgery into an act of moral and humanitarian defiance.

Beyond his specialization in general surgery, Dr. Qandeel was a senior general surgeon and an inspiring mentor to young medical trainees. Yet, he was not merely a skilled surgeon and a dedicated teacher — he was, in every sense, a living encyclopedia of medicine. A meticulous scholar who followed the global medical literature closely, he possessed profound knowledge across nearly every field of medicine. Guided by compassion and science, his surgical scalpel became, in his hands, a gentle instrument of healing imbued with mercy and love.

He was born in 1953 in Gaza — a land that had already turned into a vast refugee camp, where each passing day brought new waves of displacement. He grew up in the old neighborhood of Al-Sabra, in a modest home filled with faith, love for the homeland, and an unyielding passion for learning. His father, Haji Ataullah Qandeel, was one of Gaza’s respected pioneers — a wise and patriotic figure who established the first modern educational circles in local mosques. Ahmed began his early education in these very circles founded by his father and later continued at UNRWA schools. He was a diligent and inquisitive student, with a particular fondness for biology and chemistry. In 1970, he ranked first in the Tahwij (final secondar school year) final exams and earned a scholarship through the Egypt-Palestine Medical Program. That same year, he was accepted into Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine in Cairo, where he began an exceptionally promising medical education. As one of the most outstanding students of his class and university, Ahmed graduated with distinction and returned to Gaza to serve his people — marking the beginning of decades of devoted work in both medicine and humanity.

In the early 1980s, he spearheaded the development of the General Surgery Department and, as a first in Gaza, pioneered the establishment of a modern medical record system under the Women’s Foundation. As the Head of the Surgery Department, he introduced systematic programs both for organizing surgical operations and for training young medical professionals. However, due to the deficiencies he encountered during this period, he decided to return to university to further his academic advancement. Returning to his alma mater, he pursued a master’s degree in surgery and later received a scholarship to Poland, where he completed his doctoral studies at the Medical University of Warsaw in 1997. Upon completion, he returned to Gaza.

When he came back, he stood out not only as a physician and academic but also as a pioneer and leader with his vast expertise, effective leadership, and commitment to teaching. He renewed the surgical protocols within Gaza’s hospital system, introduced modern European surgical concepts into Gaza’s healthcare framework, and made significant contributions to the development of its surgical infrastructure. He dedicated himself to sharing his European experience with his colleagues. During that time, he also played a key role in founding numerous institutions, including the European Foundation for Medical Practice, the Nasser Foundation, and several others, in addition to the Women’s Foundation. In 2009, he was appointed Head of the Surgery Department at the Women’s Foundation, a position he held until the period of the Mamdani Foundation—also known as the Arab National Foundation—where he continued to serve until his martyrdom. There, he worked as a consulting surgeon, trained emergency surgical teams, and led advanced surgical interventions. He played a particularly influential role in the strategic development of the institution.

Dr. Ahmad Qandeel was not only a brilliant surgeon but also a true educator, administrator, and visionary. His goal was to transform the institutions he served from within, creating structures that were more humane and dignified for both patients and physicians.

Dr. Qandeel was a father of five children; two of them followed the same footsteps of their father and graduated as doctors. At  his home in the Rimal neighborhood, he nurtured a deep connection between his family and his patients, serving as a bridge between the medical process and the patient’s difficult journey toward healing. To him, medicine was not merely a profession but an act of worship. He raised his children with love for their homeland and for their work, often repeating: “The homeland is a wounded patient, and no matter how overwhelming the challenges we face, we will succeed through the knowledge and compassion we possess.”

Dr. Ahmad Qandeel was not only a renowned physician in Gaza but also a distinguished academic recognized within regional and international surgical circles. Despite the ongoing siege and isolation, he made remarkable contributions to advancing Gaza’s medical standing. In cooperation with international health and medical organizations—particularly the Red Cross and the International Committee—he organized advanced training programs in general and emergency surgery at medical conferences held in Gaza, Amman, Istanbul, and Warsaw. At these platforms, he presented research papers on “Surgical Practice in Conflict Zones” and “Crisis Management Under Siege.” We had the privilege of working with Dr. Qandeel during the Surgical Congresses of 2015 and 2023.

In 2008, he became the first surgeon from the Gaza Strip to gain membership in the European Society for Emergency Surgery. In 2015, he was elected to the Surgical Policy Review Committee of the Arab Union of Surgeons. Dr. Qandeel also played an active role in writing three training manuals for doctors in Gaza, including The Surgical Guide in Emergency Situations (in collaboration with the Red Cross), Foundations of General Surgery for Resident Doctors, and Surgical Protocols for Gaza Hospitals. In addition, he published numerous research articles in peer-reviewed journals. Despite receiving several lucrative offers from Gulf countries after completing his doctoral studies, he chose to remain in Gaza. In a 2015 address, he stated: “The world needs surgeons, but what Gaza needs are those who will not leave.”

For Dr. Ahmad Qandeel, as for nearly all Gazans, the Israeli assaults on Gaza were not isolated events but a continuous chain of aggressions. Like his fellow residents, he was resilient and accustomed to working and living under extremely harsh conditions. During the First Intifada in the late 1980s, he served on the frontlines, providing medical care to the wounded and ill with the limited resources at his disposal. His unwavering sense of humanitarian duty fortified him in the face of adversity.

Throughout the major massacres that Israeli occupation forces referred to as “mowing the lawn” operations—in 2008–2009, 2012, and 2014, he played critical roles at Al-Shifa Hospital. Under the constant threat of bombardment directly targeting hospitals, he coordinated between operating rooms and emergency units, performing surgeries tirelessly with scarce resources and striving to save as many wounded patients as possible in collaboration with medical teams. At the same time, he gave interviews to international media outlets, seeking to amplify the voices of Gaza’s healthcare workers to the world.

When Gaza Genocide was fired in October 2023, a new chapter of struggle commenced. Following the targeting of Al-Shifa Hospital, he moved to Maámdani Hospital, where he chose to remain despite relentless bombardment. He took part in emergency surgical operations, performing surgeries under the light of a mobile phone and with barely functional portable emergency equipment.

His colleagues bore witness to countless moments that reflected his profound dedication to medicine and humanity. One such moment was a complex operation he performed on a child severely wounded by shrapnel. Despite power outages and the lack of anesthesia, he completed the surgery with composure, calm, and mastery. The child’s survival became a powerful testament to Dr. Qandeel’s exceptional professional competence and profound human courage.

A brilliant physician who devoted his life not only to medicine but to service, knowledge, and humanity, Dr. Ahmad Qandeel was deliberately targeted and martyred on July 13, 2025, at the Saamir crossing in Gaza while on his way to the hospital. His assassination was no accident; it was a deliberate strike against a figure who embodied the resilience of the Palestinian medical community. News of his martyrdom spread grief among his colleagues in Palestine and around the world, who mourned the loss of one of the most devoted and selfless figures in the medical profession.

Dr. Ahmad Qandeel’s life was not merely a story of professional excellence, it was a journey devoted to the dignity of humanity. His martyrdom resonated deeply throughout Gaza and the global medical community alike. The words spoken in his memory stand as enduring proof of the profound and lasting impact he left behind.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health, in its condolence statement, declared:

“Today, we have lost a doctor and a national symbol who embodied the truest meaning of medicine in the service of his people — an example of sacrifice and devotion.”

At Al-Maámdani Hospital, his colleagues and patients honored his memory with a moment of silence. The silent crowd, dressed in white coats, bowed their heads in tears and vowed to carry on his professional legacy.

Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, Director of Al-Shifa Medical Complex, told Arab television:

“As a nation, we mourn. General surgery specialist Dr. Ahmad Qandeel refused to leave Gaza despite the threats; he was martyred while treating the wounded.”

The Gaza press and international media reported his death as a profound loss. Journalist Anas Al-Sharif wrote on X:

“Al-Maámdani Hospital has been shrouded in deep sorrow over the loss of one of Gaza’s leading physicians — a symbolic figure of medicine and science, Dr. Ahmad Qandeel.”

Journalist Saade Ghazi stated:

“The martyrdom of Dr. Ahmad Qandeel, one of the pioneering figures of Gaza’s medical field, is an irreplaceable loss. His name will forever live in Gaza’s collective memory.”

His colleagues and coworkers expressed their deep grief with the following words:

“He was not merely a colleague, but a teacher, a mentor, and a source of strength in our hardest moments.” said Dr. Salim Abu Nadi, Pediatric Surgeon

“He lived for Palestine and was martyred for it — a physician of noble spirit.”. Palestinian Ministry of Health

“In the amidst of the storm, he was the embodiment of calm. None will forget his reassuring smile.”, said Dr. Nidal Al-Masri, Student

“In every war, he was the first to enter and the last to leave the operating room. A true leader and an enduring source of inspiration.” Said, Dr. Youssef Qalileh, Operating Room Colleague

“He never left us alone. Everyone in Gaza saw him as a father figure. His compassionate care and guidance touched every heart.” said, Dr. Muhammad Qandeel, His son

“With him among us, we felt our shared humanity alive; now we remain faithful to his mission and his legacy.”, said, Shadi Hassouna, Colleague

I would like to thank Intern Dr. Hassan AL-Sagga, journalist-author Mustafa Ekici and Sudenaz Coskun for their contributions.

Prof Dr Orhan Alimoglu,

Istanbul Medeniyet University