Orthopedics and Traumatology Specialist Dr. Ali Alnweiri, who lost many family members and his ability to walk during Israel’s attacks on Gaza, is making progress in his treatment in Türkiye and aims to return to his profession.
While working at the Aksa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza, Alnweiri lost his pregnant wife, 3-year-old son, parents, siblings and two nephews in an attack on Oct. 29, 2023. He was severely injured in the explosion.
Due to spinal cord damage, Alnweiri became unable to walk and was brought to Türkiye for physical therapy following initial treatment in Gaza.
The 34-year-old Alnweiri, currently receiving treatment in Ankara, Türkiye, told Anadolu Agency (AA) on June 26 about both the attack that took his family and his ongoing struggle to rebuild his life.
Coming from a medical family, his wife is an emergency doctor, his sister a nurse and his brother-in-law a dentist, Alnweiri previously worked at the Europe Hospital and then the Aksa Martyrs Hospital in Gaza.
He recalled the morning of the attack, “Before returning home, I called my wife and asked if she wanted anything from the store. She said, ‘Get chocolate and candy for our son.’ Since I couldn’t find those, I bought chips instead. I came home, talked to relatives, then slept. When I woke up, I was under rubble and couldn’t breathe. My relatives shouted, ‘This man is alive.’ They pulled me out. I asked, ‘Where are my wife and son?’ but no one answered. Then they took me to Al-Avde Hospital, then to Aksa Martyrs Hospital. Since surgery was not possible there, I was referred to the Europe Hospital in Gaza, where I had surgery. The doctors told me I would never walk again.”
About 1.5 months after treatment in Gaza, Alnweiri came to Türkiye for physical therapy. During the first three months of treatment in Ankara, he began to regain limited movement in his right leg. While his left leg initially had no movement, it has gradually improved by about 60%.
“When I arrived at the hospital, I couldn’t move my left leg at all. Doctors said I would be confined to crutches and devices, but then I felt slight movement in my knee. Now, about 60% of my left leg works. Hopefully, this will increase, and I will be able to walk,” he said.
After working with limited resources in Gaza, Alnweiri was impressed by hospitals in Türkiye. “The first thing that caught my attention here was the cleanliness. The doctors are very skilled and well-trained,” he said.
Alnweiri mentioned that he needs to obtain certification to work as a doctor in Türkiye, which is not an easy process. He emphasized that as he recovers, he grows more confident in returning to his profession. “I want to return to my country when conditions improve because my family became martyrs there, and my memories are there. But until then, I want to work here in Türkiye,” he said.
Alnweiri drew attention to civilian casualties in Gaza being much higher than official figures. “Many people remain under rubble, and some are unreachable. Those who die from illness due to a lack of medicine are not counted as martyrs. Those injured in attacks who die months later may also not be recorded. Therefore, the actual number of martyrs is much higher than announced,” he shared.
Despite his suffering, Alnweiri remains hopeful, committed to recovery and returning to his medical career. “Helping and healing people is my profession. My greatest wish is to stand up again and wear my doctor’s coat,” he said.
