Gaza: A Doctor's Diary

by Salman Khalid, Fozia Alvi (foreword)

It’s 1 a.m. in central Gaza, and emergency physician Salman Khalid is jolted awake by a text message that simply says, “mass casualty.”  As part of a three-member team providing care at al-Aqsa Hospital, Dr. Khalid rushes to the scene, where he is greeted by a heartbreaking sight—a family of five siblings, all under 18, suffering from horrific injuries after their tent in a designated humanitarian zone was bombed while they slept. This despairing reality is a daily occurrence in Gaza, where innocent civilians suffer under the violence of settler colonialism.

In A Doctor’s Diary, Salman Khalid offers a poignant and deeply personal journal of his volunteer mission in Gaza. Over the course of a month, he captures the stark realities of life in a war zone, revealing the harrowing conditions faced by patients and medical professionals alike. With unflinching honesty, he reflects on the trauma, tragedy, resilience, and humanity that persist amid destruction and violence. This firsthand account of the brutality of the genocide in Gaza invites readers to witness the power of compassion in the face of unimaginable horror.

All proceeds from the book will be donated to Humanity Auxilium, an American and Canadian NGO that is one of 25 organisations worldwide that has paired with the WHO to get people and supplies into Gaza.

Genres: Nonfiction

156 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 20, 2025

Reviews

[Liran Nadi Golan | לירן נדי גולן · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important gem of a book.

Pakistani Canadian ER doctor Salman Khalid spent September 2024 volunteering at Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir Al Balah, Central Gaza, and shares his diary entries from his time there here. This is an invaluable firsthand account of Gaza that more people should know of and read. It’s short (110 pages including the Afterword, which wasn’t written by Khalid and isn’t even necessary) and surprisingly easy to read and well-written considering Khalid isn’t a writer by profession or practice. I’d encourage anyone interested in reading about Gaza to check this book out.

CW: there are descriptions of injuries/gore that may be too much for some readers

[María Jordano · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hard book to read because of the realism of the narration but it is a must read. It is difficult to imagine how so many lives, house and hospitals have been destroyed even if this book covers only one month in the life a o single doctor. So sad and hopeful to see how good people could have such a level of empathy and love for the others.

[Fatima · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up, I felt frustrated. I was born in the middle of the Iraq war and felt isolated from my peers and classmates. They believed in a narrative that was fed to them as “the truth”. I wanted the world to tune in and not turn a blind eye. I hated being viewed as a statistic, and being surrounded by people who were impacted in some way.

Gaza has my heart. Gaza has truly transcended something in me and awakened a part of me I never knew existed. As long as I am alive, I will keep reading, keep listening and keep searching. I will not let Gaza be forgotten, I will make sure my children know exactly what happened in Gaza and who did it and who played a part in the destruction, dehumanisation and oppression of the Palestinian people. I will always remember who turned a blind eye and who supported this. I will always remember who viewed these children as “collateral damage”.

Thank you for sharing your experiences. Thank you for giving these people a voice. I will keep doing everything I can to share this book with everyone I know.

[Chad Alexander Guarino da Verona · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read about and seen so many brutal images of traumatic injury, death, and destruction in the last few years. I shan’t look away, but there’s times reading things like this where I’m very thankful I no longer drink.

[Dayana Qistina · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Solidarity is mutual love.”