The military offensive on Gaza since October 2023 caused mass displacement, killing over 39,480 Palestinians and injuring 91,128 (to 1 August 2024). Gaza’s hospitals cannot cope with large numbers of trauma patients due to successive mass casualty incidents. Restricted humanitarian access into Gaza, ongoing attacks on hospitals and healthcare workers, and limited medical supplies hinder operations.

MAP provided quality treatment of trauma cases in the south and middle areas of Gaza through the deployment of specialized care teams from December 2023 - August 2024.

MAP’s specialist multidisciplinary EMTs initially deployed through Rafah and then through Jordan, operated and treated patients alongside the depleted local workforce. The careful selection of clinical skills in each EMT to best complement existing teams ensured maximum efficiency in trauma treatment.

Despite the severe challenges, MAP’s eight EMTs conducted 1,718 consultations and 551 surgeries, with 71% of surgeries being conflict-related and 21% were for children, over 97 days of treatment provision.

Factors contributing to effective deployment of EMTs and successful treatment of trauma and other cases included: 1. Availability of a local team able to support EMTs throughout their deployment inside Gaza; 2. Well-established relationships with the local hospitals prior to October 2023, allowing for effective liaison and adaptability to the rapidly changing and hostile environment; 3. Previous investment and expansion of our network of clinical specialist volunteers enabling rapid scale up of our EMT operations; and, 4. Flexibility of MAP volunteer specialists in undertaking new roles in the emergency room and operating theatres based on need.