“Praise be to Allah, abundant, good, and blessed praise, filling the heavens and the earth and all that is between them. Praise be to Allah as is befitting to the majesty of Your face and the greatness of Your authority, for granting me freedom after forty days of detention in the prisons of the oppressive Israeli occupier. During this time, I witnessed things that words cannot describe and memories that are impossible to erase.
I am Khaleel Refaa Haidar Skaik, a medical student preparing to graduate with a degree in general medicine after six years of study and hard work. This is the scenario I was supposed to be living now if it weren't for this fascist Zionist occupation destroying all signs of life and infrastructure in Gaza.
After the war began, I decided to volunteer at Al-Shifa Hospital to treat patients and the wounded. I dealt with all kinds of war injuries, including; gunshot injuries, shrapnel injuries, and explosive injuries. I was witness to many massacres carried out by the Israeli occupation forces including the flour massacre. Despite all this I had no idea what was in store for me. On the night of March 18th, at 2:30 am, the occupation forces stormed the hospital and besieged it during my night shift, and this is where the story began.
On Thursday, March 21st, I was with the medical staff in the emergency department when several doctors, including myself, were summoned for questioning. After an interrogation where I was asked about the most precise details of my life, the intelligence officer allowed me to leave and return to the house where my family and I were taking refuge. I left wearing the detention uniform, my hands tied, raising them above my head. As soon as I reached the Abu Saud intersection, I was shot by an Israeli tank. The bullet split my head open and severed my right thumb, confused and in a daze, I started running back to the hospital. The story doesn't end there. On March 23rd, the occupation forces decided to allow injured and walking patients to move to the Mamadani Hospital. I decided to leave with them as an injured person, but the occupation army arrested me on charges that my name was not listed among the injured. From noon until just before dusk, I remained handcuffed and blindfolded in one of the hospital rooms until the truck that was transporting the detainees arrived. We reached the detention center around midnight, still handcuffed and blindfolded. The occupation soldiers were pushing the detainees from the truck—a height of about one flor—to the ground. When it was my turn to be thrown by the soldiers, fate had it that I fell on my face. The smell of blood filled my nose, and I felt it flowing from my face. Then, an Israeli occupation soldier approached me, stamping his boot on my face. I was taken to the detention center with my face, nose, ears, and mouth bleeding, and my teeth were broken. I had multiple facial fractures, including a broken jaw, with no access to any medical treatment. I wished for death a thousand times to escape from the pain and torture I was enduring.
The bleeding intensified, and my health deteriorated. On Friday, March 29th, I was transferred to a hospital for treatment because I had not yet died despite the unbelievably inhumane conditions, which are too severe to describe. I was forced to sign for surgery to treat multiple fractures, making me responsible for my own life. There was no one by my side except the Israeli occupation soldiers who don’t believe I am human—no mother, no father, no one from my family knew what had happened to me or what I was about to face. After the surgery, they returned me to the cycle of oppression and humiliation in the detention center.
Intern Dr. Khaleel Skaik, before and after leaving Israeli prison
After suffering beyond what words can describe, the dawn of freedom finally broke on May 2nd I was finally transported and released in the city of Rafah. I was away from my family, missing my right thumb, with six fractures in my upper and lower jaw, and my mouth filled with gaps where my teeth had been broken. Here I am, walking the streets with my hands in my pockets, kicking everything in my path with my shoes. The sounds of planes are flying overhead, and shelling is echoing around me. The war has not ended yet, and my friends have not been released yet. I ask Allah to grant them freedom, safe and sound.
Thank you to everyone who remembered me in their prayers; I felt your prayers and supplications surrounding me, comforting my heart and soothing my pain. I conclude with praise to Allah as I began, and I hope that He lifts the hardship from our people and our families. ”.[1]
In the heart of Gaza, where a genocide like no other in human history is taking place, Khaleel Refaa Skaik’s story of resistance and journey is a touching example of the resilience and capacity for hope of the human spirit. A sixth-year medical student at the Islamic University of Gaza, Khaleel’s life and experiences are full of lessons not only for the society of Gaza, which is facing a severe genocide, but also for humanity; the story of the young doctor candidate, whose hard work, commitment to the community, love of the profession, and sacrifice are an example that fills us all with hope.
We have previously written that Israel specifically targeted certain professions and sectors in its attacks on Gaza, and that health and education were at the forefront of these professions and sectors. Without a doubt, a real genocide is to dehumanize as many people as possible before brutally killing them, destroying their hopes for life, and resetting their expectations for the future. The systematic destruction of activities such as health and education, which are the basis for our physical and spiritual existence in the civilized world, for creating plans for the future and for hope, as well as schools, hospitals and similar institutions related to these activities and the individuals working in these sectors, is one of the most obvious actions of Israeli genocide. This series of articles shares information about our doctor colleagues who were kidnapped, killed, detained and whose fates are unknown by Israel in Gaza. Khaleel Refaa Skaik is one of them. What happened to Skaik, who volunteered to serve patients in difficult situations as a young intern doctor before even graduating, and his resistance against these difficulties are beyond all praise.
Born in Gaza on February 14, 2000, Khaleel is now 24 years old and despite the persecution he has faced at a young age, he has shown an unwavering resistance to live and serve humanity. His academic journey at the Islamic University of Gaza shows traces of perfectionism and passion for learning. This passion is evident in his Tawjihi (high school) score of 97.1% upon entering the faculty. In addition to the rigorous and demanding program of the medical school, Khaleel has also been actively involved in extracurricular activities, especially in the Palestine Medical Forum. In his third year, he served as the chairman of the social activities committee and later became vice-chairman, demonstrating his leadership skills and determination to improve student life. In addition to his involvement in numerous medical and social responsibility projects, such as organizing awareness campaigns on obesity, diabetes and breast cancer, his role in various medical conferences and educational programs is evidence of his commitment to his field and community.
In July 2023, three months before the start of Israel's attacks on Gaza, Khaleel participated in an internship program at İstanbul Medeniyet University Göztepe Prof. Dr. Süleyman Yalçın City Hospital in Turkey and successfully completed the program, taking an important step in his medical career. During this internship training in Istanbul, Khaleel's academic and practical skills improved significantly.
After returning to Gaza, Khaleel continued his medical studies and began clinical rotations in the general surgery department at Shifa Hospital in September. However, his plans were abruptly disrupted when the attacks began on October 7, and the resulting conflict eliminated Khaleel and other students’ ability to continue their education. This severely hampered Khaleel and other students’ dreams and professional ambitions.
Despite the difficult conditions, Khaleel’s determination to help others remained unwavering, and as the fighting intensified, he volunteered at Shifa Hospital and dedicated himself to treating injured civilians. His efforts during this period demonstrated tireless dedication and compassion, working tirelessly to provide care to those in desperate need. It is clear that Khaleel’s extensive experience in first aid and emergency response, gained from his work at the Crisis and Emergency Education Center and various awareness campaigns, has been invaluable during this crisis.
Khaleel’s dedication to his community and humanity did not go unpunished. During his shift at Shifa Hospital on the night of March 18, Israeli forces raided and surrounded the hospital. Khaleel, who was on duty at the time, became part of a tragic series of events that would change his life forever. On March 21, Khaleel and several other doctors were summoned by Israel for questioning. Despite the tough interrogation, Khaleel remained calm. Eventually, he was allowed to leave. However, when he left the hospital, his hands were tied and he was hit by a tank, suffering severe injuries including a bullet wound to the head and the loss of his right thumb, and this time he had to return to the hospital as a patient, not a doctor.
The brutality did not end there. Khaleel was transferred to Al-Ahli Arab Hospital and was soon arrested by the Israeli army. Detained and tortured, Khaleel endured unimaginable suffering. His condition deteriorated rapidly, and he had to undergo surgery to repair multiple fractures in his jaw. He was not given proper care after the surgery, and even basic needs such as food were neglected.
After this severe torture, Khaleel was finally released from Rafah on May 2, away from his family. He returned missing his right thumb, with six fractures in his upper and lower jaw, and with a mouth full of gaps where his teeth used to be. Despite these great challenges, Khaleel’s spirit remains resolute to continue his journey amidst the ongoing war.
Khaleel Refaa Skaik’s story is a shining testament to the resilience and strength of the human spirit. His transformation from a dedicated medical student to a volunteer during a brutal attack, and the subsequent torture he endured while in detention, highlight the profound sacrifices made by individuals in Gaza. As Khaleel continues to face the challenges, his story stands as a beacon of hope and a reminder of the stubborn pursuit we must continue in the name of education, freedom, and human dignity. We wish his health and well-being, praying for the safe release of his friends and the eventual peace and freedom of the people of Gaza.
[1]Khaleel Skaik’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=7776358525756008&id=100001458127394&mibextid=WC7FNe&rdid=WLuDKEt5Su9xL5U1. Accessed at: June 2024.
I would like to thank Intern Dr. Mohammad Al-Hajjar and Journalist-Author Mustafa Ekici for their contributions.
*Prof. Dr. Orhan Alimoğlu
İstanbul Medeniyet University
