Doctor Mother: Dr. Du’aa Issam Ali Shamout

Reflecting deeply on the characteristics, effects, and consequences of the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza, which has spread to other parts of Palestine, and taking a stand against this atrocity, regardless of its scale or nature, is a fundamental duty of humanity and conscience. The genocide imposed upon the people of Gaza, like many in history, involves the barbaric massacre of civilians. However, it also uniquely targets vulnerable groups such as children and women, as well as those with the capacity to rebuild the future of their society. By attacking infrastructure, particularly education and healthcare services, this genocide distinguishes itself as a meticulously planned and shameful crime against humanity.

What more interesting are the dramatic ascents and descents within humanity. Perhaps this is a natural consequence of the organized evil and the systemic brutality that push the limits of human existence. Hannah Arendt once described the situation of Nazi officers who committed atrocities with a sense of duty as the "banality of evil." However, in Palestine, those who have stolen the land and organized this theft and occupation under religious narratives and myths are themselves evil. Pure, unadulterated evil. Actually, there is no sence of duty such as the Nazis in the open. The perpetrators conspiratorially and premeditatedly targeted women and children. They conducted this diabolical plan aimed at stealing properties, lands and the future of Palestinian people with a great joy and faith.

During the Gaza genocide, two distinct types of people have emerged in a striking and consistent pattern: those who rise to extraordinary heights of virtue and those who sink to unfathomable depths of savagery. In Israel, the media has been flooded with reports of prisoners being starved, systematic torture, the planned massacre of children, and civilians being buried alive by bulldozers. The range of horrors includes mutilation of bodies, mass starvation, and forced displacement.

Yet, alongside this organized evil, there have been remarkable individuals who restore faith in humanity, those who honor us all and shine as beacons of hope amidst the darkness. There has been significant rises in kindness and virtue. One of these rather epic and staggering rises, whose story is both heart-wrenching and inspiring, is Dr. Du’aa Issam Ali Shamout—a doctor, a mother, a wife, and above all, a radiant human being who illuminated the sky of humanity.

Dr. Du’aa was born on July 6, 1995, in Gaza. Raised in a loving, middle-class family, she completed her primary and secondary education in Gaza. From a young age, she was recognized as a bright student with a deep passion for medicine. Determined to pursue her dream, she worked tirelessly and was admitted to Al-Qasr Al-Ainy University in Cairo, Egypt, in 2014. Finally in 2019, she graduated with honors in Medicine and Surgery.

An exceptionally skilled physician, Dr. Du’aa began her career immediately after graduation as a general practitioner at the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), where she served for a year. Beyond her professional achievements, she was known for her benevolence in Gaza. In the refugee camps housing tens of thousands of displaced families, she tirelessly assisted the poor and vulnerable not only in healthcare but in every aspect of life. Sometimes you would see her rushing between medical aid organizations with her white coat, in a patient’s arm helping them transport, or comforting grieving mothers who seek a shoulder to put her head with a deep sorrow. She frequently visited impoverished families, organized educational and fun programs for children, and supported students in their studies. Dr. Du’aa touched countless lives with her kindness and generosity.

In 2022, now a young mother herself, Dr. Du’aa felt an even deeper connection to children and dedicated herself to pediatric care at Al-Rantisi Hospital in Gaza. She started working as a pediatrician. Despite the immense challenges of working in a conflict zone such as Gaza, she went to extraordinary lengths to provide the best possible care for her young patients.

Dr. Du’aa was not just a doctor; she was a loving wife, a devoted mother, and a woman who radiated warmth and responsibility. She could succesfully balance her demanding career and responsibilities at home. Her husband, Dr. Ahmed Shatat, an Emergency Medicine Specialist at Al-Shifa Hospital and a graduate of the Islamic University of Gaza, Faculty of Medicine, described her as a woman of deep faith and moral integrity, someone who inspired those around her to do good and help others. Her ability to manage her time and responsibilities with a great elegance and devotion was an inspiration to everyone who knew her.

Dr. Du’aa was not only a devoted doctor she was also a lifelong learner. Despite her busy schedule and social commitments, she continually sought professional and intellectual growth. She contributed to numerous scientific and cultural studies and participated in various training programs particularly in pediatrics. She remained passionately committed to self-improvement amid the hardships of life.

Tragically, this loving wife, the compassionate mother of little Zeina, and the unwavering advocate for the downtrodden was brutally murdered on October 24, 2023, while resting at her home in Khan Younis. She was targeted in an Israeli airstrike that also barbarically claimed the lives of her daughter Zeina, her mother Layla, her brother Mahmoud, her sister Aya, her aunts, uncles, and their children—a total of 11 innocent civilians. May Allah accept their martyrdom, have mercy on them, grant them paradise, and elevate their ranks.

Her brief yet remarkable life was a testament to perseverance, compassion, and dedication to her family, profession, and community. Dr. Du’aa’s life was an extraordinary example of service, sacrifice, and love. Her sudden passing, along with the loss of her beloved daughter Zeina and other family members, left a painful void in the hearts of all who knew her. Yet, the countless lives she touched, the children she healed, and the love she radiated will forever remain her enduring legacy.

Before her martyrdom, on October 18, 2023, she shared a final message, quoting the striking words of fellow martyr and activist Hiba Abu Nada:

"If we die, know that we were content and resolute. Tell the world that we were the people of truth."

The one who wrote these weighty words was martyred. The one who shared them was martyred. How many others who saw or interacted with this message have since been martyred remains unknown. This is, simply put, a genocide.

Dr. Du’aa Shamout, her husband Dr. Ahmed Shatat and their daughter Zeina

Following this devastating loss, her husband, Dr. Ahmed Shatat, shared these poignant words, expressing the love and connection that transcends death:

"When our loved ones are martyred, we are not truly separated from them.

The truth is:

Until the day we reunite,

Allah watches over them,

Feeds them, quenches their thirst,

And relieves them from the hardships of this world.

And when that long-awaited day of reunion comes,

It will be like the joy of a parched heart finally tasting water.

The longer the separation, the greater the joy of reunion.

So be patient, my heart.

Oh Allah, on this blessed day, forgive my wife Du’aa and my daughter Zeina, have mercy on them, increase their rewards, elevate their ranks, and honor them with Your presence. Grant them the pure waters of Kawthar from the hands of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and bless me with their intercession and reunite us in the highest paradise. Ameen."

Let us honor the memory of Dr. Du’aa Shamout by upholding the values she dedicated her life to: resilience in the face of hardship and an unwavering commitment to making the world a better place. May Allah host her and her family in the highest ranks of paradise.

I would like to thank Intern Dr. Mohammed Al-Hajjar, journalist-author Mustafa Ekici and medical student Sudenaz Coskun for their contributions.