‘American Doctor’ shows brutality of conflict in Gaza

Mark Perlmutter, an orthopedic surgeon with experience treating victims of disasters and conflicts worldwide, was unprepared for the atrocities he witnessed during his deployment in Gaza. This experience formed the basis of "American Doctor," a documentary that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and will be released in select US theaters this Friday.

The film presents the story of three American physicians, all with different backgrounds, who work in hospitals in Gaza during the war. Perlmutter, who is Jewish, Thaer Ahmad, a Muslim of Palestinian descent, and Feroze Sidhwa, whose parents were of Zoroastrian faith, face unimaginable suffering in the hospitals they serve. Israel's military response to the Hamas attack on Oct 7, 2023, which killed 1,221 people, has resulted in over 73,300 deaths in Gaza.

The three doctors maintain that they have not witnessed the presence of tunnels in any of the hospitals where they have worked. The documentary's director, Poh Si Teng, faced the challenge of deciding what scenes to include, balancing the portrayal of the truth with respect for the dignity of the victims. The film emphasizes the urgency of the situation in Gaza and criticizes the lack of understanding of the conflict among those who should be advocating for change.