The Hanoon Foundation supported 94 medical students from study levels 4 to 6 as they gained valuable hands-on experience through volunteering in hospitals across Palestine.
You can read their testimonials and view their photos below.
Testimonial 1
Volunteering in Palestine during the war was the most transformative experience of my medical career. The Hanoon Organisation made it possible by covering my travel and living expenses, allowing me to focus entirely on helping patients. Every day, I witnessed unimaginably suffering children with severe burns, mothers searching for missing family members, and doctors working with almost no supplies. Despite the horrors, the resilience of the people inspired me. I learned more in those weeks about trauma medicine than in years of lectures. This experience solidified my commitment to humanitarian medicine, and I am forever grateful to Hanoun for their support.
Ahmed
Testimonial 2
As a medical student, I never imagined I would be treating war victims in a bombed-out hospital. Thanks to the Hanoon Foundation, I had the financial backing to volunteer in Palestine during the worst of the war. The emergency room was chaotic: constant sirens, scarce medications, and overwhelmed staff. I assisted in surgeries, dressed wounds, and comforted grieving families. The emotional toll was heavy, but the support from Hanoun kept me going. This experience taught me the true meaning of perseverance and the critical role of medical professionals in war zones. I will carry these lessons throughout my career.
Salma
Testimonial 3
Gaza was a nightmare, but amid the destruction, I saw incredible humanity. The Hanoon Foundation funded my trip, allowing me to work in a hospital where resources were nonexistent. I held the hands of dying patients, helped deliver babies under gunfire, and saw doctors perform miracles with nothing. The gratitude of the people, despite their suffering, was humbling. Hanoon’s financial support meant I could stay longer and help more people. This experience reshaped my understanding of medicine: it’s not just about science, but about compassion in the darkest times. I will never forget what I saw and learned.
Yara
Testimonial 4
Going from medical school lectures to a hospital under siege was a shock. Without The Hanoon Foundation’s financial aid, I wouldn’t have been able to volunteer. I treated shrapnel wounds, infections from unsanitary conditions, and severe malnutrition. The local doctors, despite being exhausted, mentored me with patience. Every night, I wrote in my journal, trying to process the horrors, but I also recorded moments of hope: reunited families, survivors thanking us. Hanoun’s support was a lifeline, and this experience has made me a better, more empathetic future physician.
Abdallah
Testimonial 5
Volunteering in Palestine broke my heart and rebuilt it stronger. Hanoon’s financial support meant I could focus on patients instead of worrying about costs. I comforted children who had lost limbs, held elderly patients as they took their last breaths, and worked alongside nurses who hadn’t slept in days. The emotional exhaustion was overwhelming, but the resilience of Gaza’s people kept me going. This experience taught me that medicine is as much about emotional strength as it is about technical skill. I am forever changed and deeply grateful to Hanoun for making this journey possible.
Nour
Testimonial 6
In Palestine, I worked beside the most courageous doctors I’ve ever met. Hanoon’s funding allowed me to witness their dedication firsthand, operating without anaesthesia, rationing antibiotics, and still teaching us students amid chaos. I assisted in amputations, wound debridement, and neonatal care in a hospital with frequent power outages. The conditions were dire, but the teamwork was incredible. Hanoon’s support gave me the chance to contribute and learn in ways no textbook could teach. This experience has fueled my passion for global health, and I hope to return one day with more skills to offer.
Sahar
Testimonial 7
In Palestine, even the smallest act—a bandage, a kind word—felt monumental. Hanoon’s financial support allowed me to be there, offering whatever help I could. I cleaned wounds, translated for foreign doctors, and played with traumatised children. The hospital was overcrowded, understaffed, and constantly under threat, yet the staff never gave up. I saw the best and worst of humanity in those weeks. Hanoun’s belief in our mission kept me going when I wanted to collapse. This experience taught me that, in medicine, sometimes just showing up is half the battle.Karim
Testimonial 8
I thought I knew hardship until I volunteered in Gaza. Hanoun’s financial assistance made it possible, and I will always be grateful. I worked in a pediatric ward where toys were splintered wood and IV drips were held up by sticks. The children smiled despite their pain, and their parents thanked us with tears in their eyes. I learned to work with almost nothing, to prioritize the most critical cases, and to find hope in small victories. This experience humbled me deeply and reinforced why I chose medicine to serve those who need it most, no matter the circumstances.
Roaa
Testimonial 9
Palestine’s spirit is unbreakable, even in war. Thanks to The Hanoon Foundation, I witnessed this firsthand as a medical volunteer. I saw doctors perform surgeries by flashlight, nurses sing to calm patients during bombings, and families share their last food with us. The conditions were horrific, but the solidarity was breathtaking. Hanoun’s financial support meant I could stay and help, rather than just watch from afar. This experience has reshaped my entire perspective on medicine and humanity.
Raghad
Testimonial 10
Nothing could have prepared me for what I witnessed in Palestine. Thanks to The Hanoun Foundation, I was able to volunteer in a hospital that was more like a war bunker than a medical facility. The first time I heard a missile strike nearby, my hands shook—but the seasoned doctors around me kept working without flinching. I quickly realised that fear was a luxury we couldn’t afford.
I spent my days suturing wounds with minimal anaesthesia, comforting parents who had just lost children, and assisting in surgeries where every second counted. The Hanoon Foundation’s financial support meant I didn’t have to worry about my own survival, only the survival of those I was treating. One night, after a particularly brutal bombing, a little girl was brought in, covered in dust and barely conscious. Her grip on my hand as I helped stabilise her is something I’ll never forget.
This experience was a brutal but necessary awakening. It stripped away my naivety about medicine and replaced it with a fierce determination to serve where the need is greatest. The Hanoon Foundation didn’t just fund my trip; they gave me the chance to discover the kind of doctor I want to be: one who stands where others turn away.
Mohammad
