"Thousands of prayers to the outside world, we are fine, you will be fine too Inshallah."
-Dr. Asaad's Last Words
Tens of thousands of people lost their lives in the conflict that continuing nearly 10 months in the Gaza Strip. The heavy war environment, which continues under the most severe blockade in history, has gradually gained the character of genocide in the process. Under the Israeli army's unprincipled and unregulated attacks and blockade that has shocked the whole world, 2.3 million people are trying to hold on to life. Some experts state that many more than the 40.000 Palestinians killed directly by firearms and other war technologies used in conflicts and attacks, lost their lives due to the side effects of the catastrophe caused by the blockade and war. The numbers are truly blood-curdling; It is estimated that more than 180.000 people lost their lives as a result of the side effects of the heavy blockade, imposed famine and thirst, destroyed health infrastructure and dozens of other factors.[1]
There is adequate evidence and justification to say that Israel's genocidal activities in the Gaza Strip have specifically selected certain sectors and that the leaders of these have been targeted with carefully executed attacks and assassinations. First of all, the attack and destruction on the Gaza health sector which dozens of my colleagues, friends and students are involved, is truly remarkable. Two medical faculties, three training and research hospitals affiliated with these faculties and all 28 other hospitals in the Gaza Strip were destroyed by targeted, deliberate and programmed attacks. But much more importantly, scientists and doctors working in these education and health infrastructures were specifically targeted. In Gaza, very valuable scientists who were known all over the world and contributed to world science with their academic studies were brutally hunted down and murdered one by one. One of them is the prominent scientist Dr. Muhammad Atif Dabour Asaad.
Dr. Muhammad Atif Dabour Asaad was born on February 13, 1982, in Gaza. Until his untimely martyrdom on October 13, 2023, he lived a life in which he left his mark with his outstanding achievements in his profession, deep compassion for people and his patients, and commitment to society.
Dr. Asaad's medical journey began with a bachelor's degree in medicine from Al-Quds University in Abu Dis, Palestine. Later, he specialized in histopathology and received specialization degrees in this field in the Jordanian and Arab Board exams. His determination and efforts to further his expertise have earned him international fellowships in histopathology and oncology. With these scholarships, he carried out important research in his field and made scientific publications. He became an important scientist who was known not only in Gaza and Palestine but also in the Arab world and whose knowledge was consulted in these two fields.
Throughout his career, Dr. Asaad had served in many prestigious medical institutions. He worked professionally at Shifa Hospital, Public Service Hospital, Al-Buraq Hospital and Red Crescent Hospital. Beyond his clinical duties, he was also a lecturer at the Islamic University of Gaza, the University of Palestine, and Al-Aqsa University, devoted to the education of the next generation of medical professionals. In addition to being the Head of the Department of Basic Sciences at the Faculty of Medicine of the Islamic University of Gaza, he also ran the Specialized Center, his pathology diagnostic center.
Dr. Asaad was not only a dedicated physician but also a good family man. He is married and has four children. Dr. Asaad was an intellectual with a broad background that spanned many different fields, from sports to education; politics to philosophy. He had a deep love for reading, he read in different fields, and was especially interested in literature, poetry and novels. The last book he read in the first week of the October 2023 attacks was ‘‘This Is How Salahadin's Generation Appeared - And This Is How Jerusalem Returned’’ He tried to spend time with young people, not only in university lecture halls but also in literature and sports fields. Especially football was another passion of Dr. Asaad's that reflected his active and interactive lifestyle. His love for sports was intertwined with his sense of discipline and honesty.
Dr. Asaad's kindness and generosity were legendary. Distinguished with his philanthropy, Dr. Asaad would help anyone who asked for help. He often stated that sharing, giving, and embracing the poor and destitute expands not only one's soul but also one's material possibilities. It was stated in different segments of the society that he secretly supported many families after his martyrdom, provided scholarships to poor students, and was at the center of many charities works for the poor and orphans. His charity work and sincerity earned him a reputation as an important philanthropist in society. Those close to him have often expressed how his giving nature expanded his sustenance and abundance.
On October 13, 2023, which Israel has been implementing for months as part of its invasion plan; with the policy of driving the population to the north and south within Gaza, again and again the residents of Gaza were ordered to evacuate to the south through a safe (!) corridor designated on Salah al-Din Street. He had to leave Northern Gaza. Dr. Asaad was targeted in an airstrike. As a result of the attack, he was martyred along with his father and eldest son, while the rest of his family were seriously injured.
Dr. Mohammed Atef Mohammed Dabour Asaad left behind a legacy of professional accomplishments, dedicated service, and a profound impact on all who knew him. Dr. Asaad whose life was a shining representation of dedication, compassion and resilience, will be remembered for many years to come for his contributions to the medical community and society. His life, full of remarkable achievements and marked by a generous spirit, ended tragically but heroically. His death is a deep loss for his family, society and medical community.
I would like to thank Intern Dr. Mohammad Al-Hajjar and Journalist-Writer Mustafa Ekici for their contributions.
[1] Khatib R, McKee M, Yusuf S. Counting the dead in Gaza: difficult but essential. Lancet. Published online July 5, 2024. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(24)01169-3
*Prof. Dr. Orhan Alimoğlu,
Istanbul Medeniyet University
