By Reem al-Swaisi
GAZA, July 6, 2026 (WAFA) – The tent sheltering displaced Palestinian Mahmoud Matar in the Gaza Strip has become a daily burden during the summer, worsening the burning pain caused by shrapnel lodged in his body.
As temperatures rise, Matar is forced to leave the tent in the morning and return only in the evening, escaping a blaze he describes as “burning his body from within.”
Matar’s suffering reflects the reality of dozens of people wounded by shrapnel in the Gaza Strip, who face compounded hardships in both summer and winter amid a lack of medical resources and the inability to undergo surgeries to remove shrapnel lodged in their bodies.
Sitting at his family’s home in the al-Karamah area northwest of Gaza City, 33-year-old Matar recalls the details of his injury, telling WAFA: “Last August, I was walking with my friend in the al-Tawam area, north of the city, when a quadcopter drone opened fire on us without any warning.”
He continued: “My friend was killed after being shot in the back, while I was injured by dozens of shrapnel fragments that lodged in my shoulder and upper neck. Some of the fragments reached an area near the coronary artery of the heart. Doctors at the Arab Baptist Hospital (al-Ahli) told me that surgery was not possible due to the sensitivity of the injury’s location and its proximity to the heart.”
Speaking about his daily suffering amid extreme heat, he said: “I cannot stay inside the tent when temperatures rise. I leave around 10:00 am and do not return until shortly before sunset because the heat makes me feel as if fire is burning inside my body.”
He added: “I feel severe stabbing pain, like needles piercing my neck and shoulder. I seek refuge at my family’s home, where the weather is cooler, allowing me to endure the pain. I endure a burning pain no one can bear, as if a volcano is flowing through my veins. In winter, the pain turns into a sensation like iron rods piercing my body, and even strong painkillers do not help relieve it.”
“I do not know how long I can endure this situation. I die a thousand times every day between the heat of the tent and the burning pain of the shrapnel,” he said.
Due to his difficult health condition, Matar has stopped working, as he is no longer able to perform physical labor. He said that carrying anything heavy leaves him bedridden for days.
His wife, Waad Matar, 30, who is seven months pregnant, told WAFA: “I alone handle fetching water and firewood and standing in long lines at the charity kitchen, especially since my husband is no longer able to work because of his injury.”
She added: “We have been displaced more than 10 times, and we ended up in a tent that has increased our suffering and pain,” asking, “Is the displacement and homelessness we are enduring not enough, that we must also suffer these conditions?”
Rising temperatures increase the suffering of those with shrapnel injuries, causing inflammation in surrounding tissues, severe pain, and swelling, and may increase the risk of serious infections amid the severe deterioration of medical services, according to doctors and specialists.
Consultant neurosurgeon Dr. Yousef al-Kurd told WAFA that shrapnel remaining inside the body carries multiple risks, explaining that some fragments may press on arteries or nerves, potentially leading to permanent paralysis or impaired blood circulation that could result in gangrene and amputation of the affected limb.
He added that the body treats shrapnel as a foreign object, triggering a continuous inflammatory response that worsens with weather changes, while in many cases surgical removal of the fragments is impossible due to their location in highly sensitive areas or their proximity to vital organs.
Dr. al-Kurd noted that some small shrapnel fragments may move from their original locations, posing an additional risk to the lives of those wounded. He said that rising or falling temperatures increase local inflammation and pain, limiting the effectiveness of painkillers.
According to al-Kurd, shrapnel injuries account for between 60% and 70% of all war-related injuries due to the use of explosive weapons.
Medical sources in Gaza announced that the toll from the Israeli aggression on the Strip has risen to 73,098 killed and 173,571 injured since October 7, 2023.
T.R.
