Stress, heartbreak for wife of London, Ont. doctor volunteering in Gaza hospital

A London mother of three is on pins and needles as fighting continues in Gaza in the aftermath of a hospital bombing.

Rana Bader said her parents’ home was also struck by a bomb last week, and her brother was killed. The last time she heard from her parents was this past Friday — but there’s been no word since then.

“I know nothing about them,” she told CTV News London. “I have two of my sisters. They kept calling. Their hearts are broken, are crying all the time. We’re trying to assure each other, but it’s not working.”

Her concerns have only become more intense after a hospital was bombed Tuesday, killing hundreds. It was not the hospital where her husband, Dr. Ehab Bader of London, is putting his life-saving skills to work, but she said it is close enough.

Bader decided to volunteer at the hospital after being caught in the conflict while visiting his parents earlier this month.

Rana said her communication with him has been spotty, as much of the telecommunications infrastructure has been destroyed.

Rana Bader of London, Ont. attempts to reach family in Gaza by phone on Oct. 18, 2023. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London) She’s worried for his safety, and saddened by the circumstances.

“He’s doing his best, but he told me the other day that the situation in the hospital is horrible. Like you can’t say that this is a hospital. Before they enter the victims into the hospital they look at if anyone is dead body or killed is nothing to do with,” she explained. “They keep them outside in a big tent because there is no space inside the hospital.”

The crisis is hitting close to home for many Londoners.

Mayor Josh Morgan issued a statement that called on residents to show compassion for Londoners with loved ones caught in the conflict. In part, it reads:

“Showing empathy and compassion for Londoners who are suffering here at home does not require us to 'pick a side.' It simply requires us to do what our city has always done in times of crisis or grief - support one another, while recognizing our shared humanity.”

In the meantime, a little humanity is something Rana Barder is hoping for, as she desperately awaits any news of her family in Gaza.

“We can’t live our normal lives, we don’t sleep at night,” she said. “It’s too frustrating for us.”