'American Doctor' shows brutality of conflict in Gaza
The documentary 'American Doctor' features three physicians sharing their harrowing experiences working in Gaza hospitals during the ongoing conflict. The film focuses on the humanitarian crisis and the impact of the war on medical infrastructure rather than the political origins of the conflict.
Why it matters
It provides a firsthand, non-partisan perspective on the humanitarian toll of the Israel-Hamas war, highlighting the challenges faced by medical professionals in active conflict zones.
Israel does not deny targeting hospitals in Gaza, saying they house tunnels used by Hamas militants — STRINGER Mark Perlmutter has treated patients hit by natural disaster and conflicts across 30 countries, including in his native United States. Yet, nothing prepared him for the horrors he would witness under Israeli bombardment.
"Just our first week in Gaza was worse than all of my experiences combined, " the orthopedic surgeon told AFP of deployments that included the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in New York, Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana, and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
The suffering Perlmutter and his colleagues have seen in Gaza hospitals since Israel launched its retaliation for the October 2023 Hamas attack forms the core of "American Doctor," a documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and arrives in select US theaters this Friday.
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