Gaza is a conveyor belt of carnage, says paramedic

British paramedic Sam Sears says he saw a boy, aged about eight, who was "lifeless behind the eyes - just numb" after losing his family in an explosion

Warning: this article contains upsetting content

A British paramedic working in Gaza said the territory felt like a "conveyor belt of carnage" as he has treated a "steady stream" of patients with blast, shrapnel and gunshot wounds.

Sam Sears, 44, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, a paramedic with East Midlands Ambulance Service, was stationed for three weeks in Gaza with the charity UK-Med.

On arrival, Mr Sears said he began working in response to a mass casualty incident where two children, aged nine and 11, had died from blast injuries.

"I put the children in body bags and zipped them up," he said.

"In the UK I've had to deal with a number of deceased children, but the difference was I'm never involved with putting them in a body bag. It's normally a very calm, slow situation, allowing parents time to grieve.

"It was particularly heartbreaking putting a child in a body bag, seeing their face for the last time, then moving them out the way so we could treat more people.

"Part of me felt guilty that there was no dignity for them because the emergency situation meant it was a case of 'they are dead, let's get them out the way to free the beds'.

"But there was simply no alternative because with such a high volume of casualties, we had to focus on people we might be able to save."

The 44-year-old paramedic has carried out humanitarian work in other countries, but said Gaza was like other conflicts "times 1,000".

Mr Sears said: "It might sound weird, but I am keen to return to Gaza. What keeps you going is that you really are making a difference and saving lives"

The paramedic said a 16-year-old boy was left paralysed and needing an amputation after suffering blast and shrapnel wounds and the patient's 18-year-old brother wept when told he would now have to care for him alone.

Mr Sears also told of seeing more pregnant women and newborn babies suffering severe malnutrition because the mothers lacked the nutrients to breastfeed.

"That first night, another child came in with shrapnel embedded in their stomach and bleeding internally.

"I was personally convinced they would die, but we got him to surgery within 20 minutes," said Mr Sears, who returned to the UK on 31 July.

"Next day when I saw them they were recovering well and the prognosis was really good.

"Gaza's the hardest thing I've ever done but moments like that that keep you going. We have saved that child's life."

Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry says that in total more than 61,000 people have been killed as a result of Israel's military campaign since 2023.

Israel launched its offensive in response to the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on 7 October that year, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.