Award-winning Gaza doctor's body found in ruins of Al-Shifa Hospital

The bodies of a prominent Palestinian medics have been found among the dead of the ruined remains of Al-Shifa Hospital, following Israel’s withdrawal on Monday.

Israeli forces engaged in two weeks of raids on Al-Shifa leaving the hospital completely destroyed and hundreds feared dead.

On Monday and Tuesday, Palestinians began to excavate some of the dead found in the hospital grounds with one of the bodies identified as doctor Ahmad Maqadmeh, a reconstructive surgeon and doctor. 

His cousin’s body, Bassem al-Maqadmeh, was also found close to the site, following a two week Israeli raid and siege on the medical complex which left it in ruins, according to members of Gaza's medical community.

Maqadameh, who is in his thirties, was found alongside the body of his mother, Yusra al-Maqadmeh, a general practitioner. 

Ghassan Abu Sittah, a British-Palestinian and reconstructive surgeon who worked in Gaza’s hospitals following the outbreak of the war, paid tribute to the surgeon online.

"They killed my friend and colleague…a beautiful soul and great surgeon," he wrote on X.

"We worked together in the Great Marches of Return and the 2021 war and then this recent war. His dedication was unlike anything I have ever seen. We will never forgive."

Other surgeons also paid tribute to the doctor and praised his efforts in the medical field.

I know Ahmed AlMaqadma since we were interns together at Shifa Hospital. He trained in plastic surgery and remained at Shifa until the last minute. Ahmed won multiple awards from the @RCSnews for his dedication to patients. Ahmed was killed by the IOF + his mom near Shifa pic.twitter.com/9r4sPVoH9J

— Osaid - #NotATarget 🗝 🇵🇸 (@OsaidesserMD) April 1, 2024

"I have known Ahmed al-Muqadma since we were interns together at Shifa Hospital. He trained in Plastic surgery and remained at Shifa until the last minute. Ahmed won multiple awards from the RCS news for his dedication to patients," Osaid, a surgeon from Gaza posted on X.

Al-Maqadmeh was a father of two and had won the prestigious Humanitarian Surgery Innovation fellowship from the Royal College of Surgeons of England.

Last year, he was also recognised for his contributions as an organiser and monitor for working on a Gaza case study related to delivering ortho-plastical surgical care in conflict zones. 

Health workers killed

Over 20 bodies were recovered from the site, some of which had been crushed by Israeli vehicles, AFP reported.

Gaza's ministry of health announced on Monday that Israeli forces had killed around 400 Palestinians inside Al-Shifa and the surrounding area. 

Israel has claimed that Hamas was using the hospital as a command centre but has presented very little evidence to back up its claims.

The Israeli army withdrew from the hospital on Monday, with photos showing large parts of the complex burnt and in ruins. 

Hundreds of Palestinians - patients, medics, and civilians seeking refuge - were also detained at the hospital, which accounts for around 30 percent of Gaza’s medical capacity. 

Daniel Hagari, Israel’s army spokesperson, said last week that those arrested at the site were "very important Hamas officials", however, Israel is yet to produce any evidence to suggest this.

At least 340 healthcare workers have been killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza since the start of the war on 7 October, while many of the enclave's hospitals and clinics have been destroyed or damaged.