Rawda Nabil Abu Hamad

Rawda Nabil Abu Hamad is a fifth-year medical student from Gaza who has remained committed to her dream of becoming a physician despite the devastating impact of war.

She grew up in Abasan Al-Kabira, where she enjoyed a peaceful childhood surrounded by her family. Like many families in Gaza, everything changed when the war forced them to flee repeatedly in search of safety. During this painful journey of displacement, Rawda lost both her younger brother, Ibrahim, and later her father. His death was a profound loss, as he had always been her greatest source of encouragement and support.

Today, Rawda lives with her mother and two sisters in a tent in Al-Mawasi, Khan Younis. Daily life is marked by insecurity, displacement, and the constant struggle to meet basic needs. Despite these hardships, she has never abandoned her education or her ambition to become a doctor.

From the beginning of the war, Rawda volunteered at the European Gaza Hospital, working alongside healthcare professionals caring for patients under extraordinary circumstances. She is now completing her clinical training at Nasser Medical Complex, where she continues to learn and serve amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

The experiences of war have strengthened her sense of responsibility, compassion, and resilience. Rawda believes that education is not only the path to achieving her lifelong dream, but also a way to honor her father’s memory, support her family, and contribute to the health and future of her community.

She remains determined to complete her medical education and hopes that one day she will be able to practice medicine in a safer and more peaceful environment, fulfilling the dream that she and her father always shared: to become a doctor who serves others with dedication and compassion.