Dr Midhat Saidam

Their life

Dr. Midhat Saidam was a 47-year-old Palestinian surgeon from Gaza City, remembered as one of the most dedicated and respected doctors at al-Shifa Hospital. Known among colleagues as “the relentless surgeon,” he spent decades in the operating room, saving lives and mentoring younger physicians. His calm, kind-hearted, and humorous nature made him a beloved figure among staff and patients alike. Beyond his surgical skills, he was admired as a mentor who could always find solutions to difficult cases, making him an anchor of the medical team at Gaza’s largest hospital.

How they died

Dr. Saidam was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his home on 15 October 2023.

After working tirelessly for more than a week at al-Shifa Hospital, Dr. Saidam went home on the evening of 15 October to rest. Only a few hours later, his home was struck in an Israeli bombardment, killing him instantly. His colleagues, who had expected to see him return the next morning to continue operating, instead received his lifeless body brought back to the hospital. His death symbolized the devastating loss of medical professionals in Gaza, where even doctors working on the frontlines of saving lives were not spared from the violence.

Why we remember them

This record exists so that Dr Midhat Saidam, and all who are named in this archive, are never reduced to a number.

References & sources