STORY: Gazan doctor overcomes tragedy to keep saving lives amid war
SHOOTING TIME: Jan. 13, 2025
DATELINE: Jan. 14, 2025
LENGTH: 00:02:01
LOCATION: GAZA, Palestine
CATEGORY: SOCIETY/HEALTH

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Khaled al-Saidani
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic): KHALED AL-SAIDANI, Doctor at Al-Aqsa Hospital
3. various of Khaled al-Saidani

STORYLINE:

Khaled al-Saidani, 51, is a Gazan doctor.

Six months ago, an Israeli airstrike claimed his leg, destroyed his home in the al-Bureij refugee camp, and killed some of his family members.

Like thousands of others in Gaza, he became both a victim and a caregiver in a war that has upended countless lives.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic): KHALED AL-SAIDANI, Doctor at Al-Aqsa Hospital
"My leg was amputated six months ago, but I did not stop working because I was displaced inside the hospital. At first, I used a wheelchair because I have experience in dealing with children, especially since I spent more than half of my life in it. When the amputation happened, I suffered from a difficult psychological crisis at that time, but when I fitted the temporary prosthetic limb, despite its disadvantages, I was able to move again through it."

For Al-Saidani, returning to work has become more than just fulfilling a professional obligation -- it has restored his sense of purpose. "My return to the hospital restored my desire to cling to life," he said, "and continue my work no matter the circumstances."

The war, which began after Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people, has claimed more than 46,000 Palestinian lives and injured over 109,000, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The majority of casualties have been women and children.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Gaza, Palestine.
(XHTV)