The team behind Doctors in Need

The foundation Doctors in Need provides local healthcare workers in Gaza not only with financial support, but also with moral guidance, enabling them to continue caring for their patients, even under the most inhumane conditions.

Doctors in Need has a board made up of professionals from diverse backgrounds. Below, they briefly introduce themselves. Doctors in Need is a government-recognized foundation and holds an ANBI certification, which makes it an official charity serving the public interest by Dutch law and tax regulations.

Mounir Samuel – Founder

Mounir Samuel is a political scientist, founder of the foundation Doctors in Need (Stichting Artsen in Nood), an award-winning journalist, and the author of titles such as You Can’t Say Anything Anymore and The Netherlands for the Dutch.He focuses specifically on social revolutions and societal change, seeking innovative solutions to the major challenges of our time.

Mounir works at the intersections of politics, climate, gender, media, language, art and culture, religion, and society. In 2025, he received the Emma Goldman Award, a European distinction recognizing his contribution to social justice and open democracy.

Read more about Mounir Samuel on his website or on LinkedIn.

Dr. Hatem Al-Farra

General Manager

Experienced doctor with Palestinian roots, making the impossible possible

Dr. Hatem Al-Farra is a physician, a specialist in geriatric medicine, and holds a PhD in medical informatics and artificial intelligence. With his Palestinian roots and strong connection to Gaza, he combines medical expertise with management experience and an understanding of the local context.

As general director of the foundation Doctors in Need (Stichting Artsen in Nood), he is responsible for day-to-day management, policy implementation, financial administration, and maintaining contact with healthcare professionals in Gaza. He coordinates the support provided and oversees the careful selection and periodic evaluation of participants.

Hatem is committed to sustainable humanitarian aid based on trust, professional autonomy, transparency, and Palestinian ownership, with the goal of enabling healthcare professionals to continue their essential work.

Our board members

Martijn Winnen

Chair

Socially engaged real estate entrepreneur

Aynur Hasanzadeh

Secretaris / Sociale Media

Policy advisor and positive impact maker

Monique van der Werf

Secretaris / Buddy coordinator

Preventiecoach Schuldhulpverlening & Vroegsignalering

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Contact

Mission of the Doctors in Need Foundation

Doctors in Need is a beacon of hope, life, and support for the people of Gaza.

This includes concrete projects that provide Palestinians in Gaza with financial relief, professional recognition, emotional and mental support, visibility, safety, and the restoration of rights.

Doctors in Need is a dynamic foundation that anticipates and responds to the constantly changing developments and circumstances in Gaza. The needs and urgencies of the Palestinian people are always central. Doctors in Need works according to the principles of decolonization and decoloniality. This means that Palestinians are treated as equal partners, the usual donor–recipient dynamic is disrupted, and Palestinians in Gaza are given as much public visibility and space as possible.

Doctors in Need carries the tayara as its logo. This is a six-sided kite that plays a unique role in the social life and community structures of Gaza. The tayara symbolizes hope, peace, boundlessness, dreams, and freedom. It is inspired by the spirit of the Palestinian poet Rafaat Alareer and his famous poem… If I must die…Doctors in Need seeks to launch new kites and, with them, to tell a new story — one that brings hope.

We are committed to giving hope and providing assistance to as many Palestinians in Gaza as possible through strategic initiatives. We also work to amplify the voices and stories from Gaza by supporting campaigns, literature, arts and culture projects, social media efforts, and dedicated online and offline group gatherings.

By building resilient action–response committees in both Gaza and the Netherlands, we create a lifeline that allows Doctors in Need to transcend distance, occupation, separation walls, and blockades — both on the ground and in our own minds. Our goal is to help keep Palestinians in Gaza alive wherever possible and to support a life of dignity, whether in Gaza itself or beyond.

Finally, Doctors in Need strives for democratic and transparent governance principles, with an independent board and a broad, diverse network of volunteers. We also aim to create opportunities for direct contact between Dutch volunteers and donors and the Palestinians in Gaza themselves.

Policy documents & accountability

Download Beleidsplan feb 2026

Download Beleidsplan juli-2026

Download Statuten oprichting Stichting Artsen in Nood