A Palestinian doctor has been commended for her bravery after she risked her life to save a wounded man outside a hospital in the southern Gaza Strip, with a video of her heroic act going viral on Saturday.
The video shows the moment the unhesitant Amira al-Assouli takes off her coat, ducks underneath gunfire and rushes to help a man supposedly hit by a bullet outside the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, which has been under a brutal siege by Israeli forces.
The video of Assouli, who specialises in obstetrics and gynaecology, blew up on social media, with people praising her courage and determination to save the man despite the dangers.
"Khan Younis' hero" and "the iron lady" were only some terms used to describe the doctor, who was said to have returned to Gaza from Egypt when the war started on October 7.
The siege on Nasser Hospital comes more than a month and a half after the Israeli army expanded its ground and aerial operations in Khan Younis, Gaza’s second largest city, which Israel claims houses a stronghold of four military battalions affiliated with Hamas' armed wing, the Qassam Brigades.
Hundreds of displaced people remain trapped inside the hospital, including doctors, medical staff, patients, and their families. They all fear that Israel will repeat what it did to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City.
Hospital officials say Israeli snipers are targeting displaced persons taking refuge at the medical complex, with a number of people reported killed and wounded in recent days.
Israeli tanks were also reportedly targeting the upper floors of the hospital.
Gaza’s health ministry says more than 300 medical staff have been killed in Israel’s brutal bombardment since October 7.
On Saturday, the death toll rose to 28,064, with over 67,000 others wounded. The figure is feared to be much higher with many more people stuck underneath the rubble.