A Minnesota surgeon’s reflections on a mission trip to the West Bank

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As we approached the checkpoint, an Israel Defense Forces soldier with a machine gun (finger on the trigger) tapped on our window with the tip of his gun. Sitting in the passenger seat, I leaned back to avoid the gun pointing directly at my face. “Passports!” he demanded. I mentally noted to never complain about my slow morning commute on Interstate 94 again.

We were a group of American surgeons heading to a rural hospital in the West Bank as part of a one-week surgery mission trip. After intense questioning about our motives and background, the soldier eventually returned with our passports and instructed our Palestinian driver to take a longer route, avoiding the nearby Israeli settlement.

This brief encounter served as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by Palestinians daily, not only in accessing health care but in their everyday lives. Over the following week, I had the privilege of working as the lone urologic surgeon alongside 30 volunteer surgeons from multiple specialties sponsored by FAJR Scientific. We were also humbled to work alongside incredible local doctors and nurses who have worked tirelessly (sometimes with little to no pay) since the tragic events of Oct. 7 and the ensuing war. While my intention was purely medical, it was impossible to ignore the political conflict in almost every patient we treated.

I treated a 10-year-old girl suffering from incontinence and nightmares since an Israeli settlement was built near her family’s land. Violence between settlers and locals, including daily shootings, was common. One case was postponed due to a gunshot emergency, and another was added after IDF soldiers stopped a local man on his way to work and shattered his foot by repeatedly stomping on it. Another patient of mine with a painful kidney stone had been waiting three months for surgery due to a shortage of supplies at the local hospital. The lack of supplies was even more frustrating, as a full truck of our own medical equipment for our mission had been stopped at the Jordanian border and parked alongside hundreds of other trucks intended to provide food and other aid.

Despite these challenges, we were able to perform hundreds of surgeries and treat more than 2,000 patients. Perhaps of greater benefit, we were able to teach the Palestinian medical residents and students and provide a little rest to the local doctors. Some of the biggest smiles I saw from the Palestinian urologists was when I opened two suitcases of donated surgery supplies they could start using immediately. I was amazed at how they had developed workarounds for even simple things we take for granted. For example, when I asked for a surgical drain, the OR nurse cut off the index finger of a latex glove and handed it to me. In other cases, they would simply clean disposable instruments with alcohol and re-use them multiple times. Faced between using an instrument that isn’t perfectly sterile vs. having to cancel an urgent surgery due to no equipment, the choice was easy.

One memorable experience was visiting a refugee camp with displaced families from Gaza, where we not only saw medical patients, but provided school supplies, clothes and backpacks to children. Many of the families had lost loved ones in the war and others will need long-term physical therapy from amputations and counseling for unimaginable grief. Despite their hardships, the patients at the camp showed kindness by offering us food from their shared makeshift kitchens.

My encounter with the IDF soldier highlighted the negative interactions Palestinians often have with Israelis. The current situation doesn’t allow for peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Jews, unlike in the U.S., where people of different backgrounds live, work and play together. I hope for a future where integration is possible. The trip made me realize how lucky I am as a Muslim in Minnesota to work alongside my Jewish urology partners — many of whom are my closest friends.

While our mission trip was short, I pray that our efforts made a positive impact. I pray that the hostages will be released. I pray for a cease-fire and peace for a region that has known so much suffering. I pray for a future where those in power on both sides can make that a reality.

Dr. Basir Tareen lives in Minneapolis.