Doctor who saved Sen. Duckworth's life is now trapped in Gaza
WASHINGTON (CBS) -- A doctor who U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois) said saved her life 20 years ago in Iraq is now among a group of medical workers trapped in Gaza as Israeli troops block the Rafah border crossing.
Dr. Adam Hamawy, a surgeon from New Jersey, was in a hospital Wednesday near the city of Rafah.
On Nov. 12, 2004, Duckworth was injured in Iraq when a rocket-propelled grenade hit the Black Hawk helicopter she was flying. She lost her legs and the partial use of her right arm, but she said Dr. Hamawy saved her life in the ER in Baghdad.
"When I was wounded, within 20 minutes, I was in front of him – and he is the doctor who not only saved my life, but was able to prevent me from becoming a triple amputee by employing a vascular procedure that he'd just learned in medical school," said Duckworth.
Hamawy has been in contact with Duckworth.
"I'm texting back and forth with Dr. Hamawy, and just checking on him and the status of his colleagues, and they're doing everything that they can," said Duckworth. "They're continuing to work to supply aid – to supply humanitarian aid – but they themselves are dehydrated. They're running low on everything – not just medical supplies, but food and water as well.
The doctor is just one member of an international team providing care to Gaza. Duckworth said she is working to ensue they can get out safely – and emphasized the need for a corridor for humanitarian aid.
"We're finding that, you know, the Rafah crossing is closed on the Egyptian side, but the path to the Rafah crossing is very dangerous to humanitarian convoys, and they often come under fire from the IDF," Duckworth said.
Duckworth said she has reached out both through the U.S. State Department and the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., who are doing everything they can to help get doctors out of Rafah safely.
Hamawy said of Duckworth: "I really appreciate her help and support. I know she has been working hard to help us and to ensure that humanitarian and basic necessities get into Gaza."