Gaza eye hospital performs first cornea transplant since start of war
Key Takeaways
- Gaza Eye Hospital completed its first successful cornea transplant since the war disrupted medical services in the enclave.
- Doctors said more than 300 patients are on urgent waiting lists for cornea transplant procedures.
- Medical teams spent three months preparing equipment and supplies to safely restart the transplant programme.
Gaza Eye Hospital resumes cornea transplant surgeries for the first time since the war, offering treatment to patients amid severe shortages of medical supplies and equipment.
Doctors at Gaza Eye Hospital have completed the first successful cornea transplant since the war disrupted medical services across the Gaza Strip, despite ongoing shortages of medicine and surgical equipment.
Hospital director Dr Hossam Dawood said the surgery marked the resumption of a cornea transplant programme that had been halted because of the conflict.
“This is considered the first case following the national cornea transplant campaign we started two years before the war, in which we achieved very good and remarkable results. But due to the war, we completely stopped cornea transplants,” Dr Dawood explained.
He said medical teams spent three months securing and preparing the necessary equipment to restart the procedures safely. According to him, the hospital is currently ready to handle around 50 cases.
“We now have a waiting list for referrals numbering around 300 cases who are in urgent need of these operations,” he added.
Palestinian media reports stated that the hospital resumed its surgical programme by carrying out “two cornea transplant surgeries, restoring hope to two Palestinian patients who had been waiting for medical intervention for years.”
One of the patients, Beirut Al-Nakhaleh, said she had been suffering from keratoconus, a progressive eye disease, before her condition worsened during an evacuation ordered by the Israeli military.
“Something hit my head, and I lost consciousness. After that, I felt that my left eye was severely damaged,” said Al-Nakhaleh, a former teacher and mother of six.
She explained that she had previously been referred for surgery outside Gaza but decided against leaving because of her children.
“When the doctors called me yesterday and informed me that the transplant procedure was available, I felt overwhelming happiness,” she said.
Footage released from the hospital showed Al-Nakhaleh preparing for surgery before doctors carried out the delicate operation inside the operating theatre.
Local media reports said the medical achievement came despite long waiting lists caused by the blockade, the effects of the war, and severe shortages of medicines, diagnostic tools, and surgical supplies needed for specialised procedures.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023, after attacks by the militant group killed 1,139 people, mostly Israeli civilians, and resulted in the abduction of more than 200 hostages.
In response, Israeli forces launched extensive air strikes and ground operations across Gaza. More than 72,000 Palestinians have reportedly been killed and over 172,000 injured since the war started.
The development comes months after US envoy Steve Witkoff announced the second phase of the Trump 20-point peace initiative in January. The proposal aims to expand the ceasefire into a broader agreement focused on disarmament, the formation of a technocratic administration, and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
