Beloved cardiologist killed in airstrike—he was one of Gaza’s last heart doctors
A prominent Palestinian cardiologist was killed during an Israeli airstrike Wednesday, July 2. He was visiting with loved ones at the time, and four family members also died. Colleagues, surviving family members, military officials and a watchdog group have all commented on the incident.
Dr. Marwan al-Sultan was a beloved cardiologist, serving as director of the Indonesian hospital in the Gaza Strip. He also worked as an assistant professor at the Islamic University of Gaza before the war.
News outlets all over the world have been covering his death, speaking to those who knew him best.
“He was a rare doctor,” Dr. Munir Bursh, the director general of the Gaza Health Ministry, told NBC News in one interview. “A man of deep expertise and an even deeper conscience. We didn’t just lose a doctor—we lost a man who was a lifeline to so many.”
“We are in great shock and grief. He cannot be replaced,” said Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia, director of al-Shifa hospital in Gaza, told the Guardian in another interview. “He was a prominent scholar and one of the two remaining cardiologists left in Gaza. Thousands of heart patients will suffer as a result of his killing.”
Al-Sultan was one of the last two cardiologists working in Gaza, according to multiple reports. The Palestinian Health Ministry called him a “symbol of dedication, steadfastness and sincerity.”
The Israeli military has said it was targeting a terrorist at the time of the attack. It is still reviewing the incident.
Cardiologist’s death seen as ‘part of a wider pattern’
Many Palestinian groups believe doctors are being specifically targeted as war rages on. Healthcare Workers Watch, a Palestinian initiative designed to monitor and highlight attacks on healthcare providers, issued a statement on this latest incident, calling it “part of a wider pattern.”
“The death of Dr Marwan Al-Sultan is a catastrophic loss both to the medical community and to Gaza as a whole,” according to the group. “He is the 70th healthcare worker to be killed by the Israeli occupation forces in the past 50 days.”
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), meanwhile, said it is “deeply alarmed” by the continued attacks on healthcare workers.
“The ICRC urgently reiterates its call for the protection of medical personnel and medical facilities in Gaza,” the group said in a statement. “They must be respected and protected to safeguard a lifeline for the wounded and sick. All feasible steps must be taken to support their work, ensure their safety, and guarantee that they are not deprived of vital resources.”
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.