They were treating waves of wounded in Gaza. Then an Israeli assault trapped the foreign doctors

By SARAH EL DEEB
Associated Press

CAIRO (AP) — Teams of 35 international doctors, including 22 Americans, were trapped in Gaza after Israel seized the main crossing into Egypt and sealed off their way out. Meant to be on a two-week mission, the volunteer doctors have described a situation far worse than they had imagined in Gaza’s decimated health system. They spoke of amputations on children, rampant infections and local Palestinian staff exhausted and overwhelmed. On Friday, more than 10 days after the Israelis closed the crossing, talks between U.S. and Israeli authorities yielded results and some of the doctors were able to leave. However, the Palestinian American Medical Association said at least 14 of its doctors, including some Americans, have chosen to remain in Gaza.