On this episode of the Humanitarian Lens podcast, host Avril Benoît speaks with Dr. Aqsa Durrani, a US-based pediatrician and epidemiologist, whose latest assignment was at an MSF field hospital in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza.
Dr. Durrani describes the immense suffering of civilians across the Gaza Strip after more than a year and a half of an all-out war and a brutal siege. Israeli forces are systematically destroying the conditions necessary for Palestinian life.
During her assignment, from February 24 through April 24, 2025, Dr. Durrani and her colleagues treated patients of all ages for injuries from airstrikes, burns, fractures, and gunshot wounds, among others. The vast majority of patients she saw were women and children.
Learn more about MSF’s response in Gaza on our website:
https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/our-response-israel-gaza-war
The Humanitarian Lens, a new podcast from Doctors Without Borders/ Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) USA, explores the world’s most urgent humanitarian emergencies through the experiences of MSF aid workers.
Follow MSF USA on social media for updates about Gaza and our medical humanitarian work in over 70 countries around the world.
Instagram / LinkedIn / BlueSky
00:00-00:28 - The vast majority of patients we were seeing were women and children.
00:28-01:04 - Today we're looking at Gaza through a humanitarian lens.
01:09-02:31- Why Dr. Aqsa Durrani took the assignment to Gaza.
02:31-05:18 - What it was like entering Gaza.
05:18-08:50 - Dr. Durrani's role and the kinds of cases she saw.
08:50-10:54 - Obstacles to accessing medical care and a story about a particular patient.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.