The NORWAC Team 7 arrived in Gaza on Thursday, September 19th, without OR nurse Elin Møxvold. This time, the team has been reinforced with orthopedic surgeon Mohammed Abdus Samee from IDEALS. Additionally, the team consists of anesthesiologist Per Kristian Hyldmo and orthopedic surgeon Geir Stray Andreassen.

We are at the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis. The hospital is located in the red zone, making it difficult for patients to reach the hospital, and patient admissions are therefore lower than expected.

Most of the people we meet at the hospital live in tents surrounded by sand. The tents are made of plastic sheets and are not waterproof. Last night, it rained, which made life even more difficult. As one of the nurses said, “We worry about bombs and gunfire, but right now, I’m most worried about the rain.” He then called his family, concerned.

In the operating room, I met nurse Ghada, who was overjoyed to have finally found shampoo for the first time in a long while. The price was four times higher than before the war – $15 for a bottle.

There is a shortage of almost everything, although some items can be obtained on the black market. Prices reflect this, with tomatoes costing $2 each, $4 for a roll of toilet paper, and over $50 for a pack of diapers. A pack of 20 cigarettes costs nearly $400.

Despite this, people remain hopeful and dream of the day the ceasefire comes, when they can move freely again.