Gaza, MINA – Palestinian doctor Khamis Elessi remains dedicated to serving his people in Gaza despite the deadly Israeli onslaught and repeated displacements within the enclave.
For 15 years, Elessi, who works as a faculty member at the Faculty of Medicine at the Islamic University of Gaza and specializes in neurorehabilitation and algology, has been teaching courses in neurology, algology and palliative care. He chose to stay in Gaza despite offers from around the world.
He spoke to Anadolu about why he chose to remain in Gaza and recounted his family’s multiple displacements.
Elessi pointed out that residents in Gaza had been displaced time and time again, and his family used to live in the Tel el-Heva neighborhood before the onslaught began but had to move because of numerous houses being bombed in the area.
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They moved to their former residence in the Derec neighborhood, then to Zeitoun near the Indonesian Hospital. Their locations moved 11-12 times between Tel al-Hawa and Derec.
On July 7, while on duty at the hospital, Elessi received a call from his son informing him that Israel wanted everyone to leave the area.
He immediately rushed home and saw thousands migrating toward western Gaza.
“We quickly packed our bags and belongings and set off. We first went to my sister’s burnt house, but the area soon came under attack,” he said.
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Forced to flee again, they headed toward the Al-Nasr neighborhood.
“However, after being warned by the Israeli army there, we moved further north. We stayed there for about four days before finally returning home,” he said. (T/RE1/P2)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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