Gaza, MINA – International doctors working in Gaza have reported a troubling pattern of gunshot wounds among children, raising fears of deliberate targeting, according to an investigation published Saturday by the Dutch daily de Volkskrant.
The newspaper interviewed 17 doctors and a nurse from the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands who worked in six hospitals and four clinics across Gaza since October 2023. Many had prior experience in conflict zones such as Sudan, Afghanistan, and Ukraine.
Fifteen of the medical professionals said they treated at least 114 children, aged 15 or younger, with a single gunshot wound to the head or chest. Most of the children did not survive. The cases, documented between late 2023 and mid-2025, were spread across 10 different medical facilities.
US trauma surgeon Feroze Sidhwa described his first day at the European Hospital in Gaza in March 2024, where he encountered four boys under 10 with identical head wounds within 48 hours. In less than two weeks, he treated nine more children with the same injuries.
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Other doctors confirmed seeing similar cases on a near-daily basis. Forensic experts consulted by the paper concluded that the uniform pattern strongly suggested aimed fire, possibly from snipers or drones, rather than accidental injuries.
Israel has consistently denied accusations that its forces deliberately target civilians, including children.
Doctors said they faced a moral dilemma, as speaking publicly could mean being barred from returning to Gaza. The UN reported that since March 2025, Israel has denied entry to more than 100 international health workers without providing explanations.
Despite the risks, many of the physicians insisted that remaining silent is no longer an option. “Not talking is not an option anymore,” one doctor told de Volkskrant. []
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