Israeli Druze physician establishes clandestine medical support system for besieged Sweida

In the midst of escalating violence in Sweida, southern Syria, Dr. Osama Shekh, an Israeli Druze anesthesiologist, has created a hidden medical network to deliver critical care to the local Druze population. Government hospitals, under the direction of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, have largely refused treatment, leaving residents dependent on Dr. Shekhs efforts.

By day, Dr. Shekh works at the Galilee Medical Center in Israel. In his spare time, he organizes the transfer of essential medications, medical equipment, and therapies from Damascus to four hospitals he manages in Sweida, coordinating the operation via WhatsApp from Julis, northern Israel.

Since mid-July, Sweida has witnessed armed attacks targeting the Druze community, including killings, abductions, property looting, and gender-based violence, which the United Nations has identified as systematic and targeted. Hospitals have been attacked, including the Sweida National Hospital, leaving the healthcare system in near collapse. Ambulance and emergency services were largely destroyed, and hospitals cannot provide care due to shortages of electricity, ICU beds, medications, and oxygen.

Local Druze solidarity has become the primary support for Sweidas healthcare system. Hospitals face critical deficits in diagnostic tools, anesthetics, cardiac and cancer drugs, and oxygen. Complex medical cases cannot be treated locally, and travel to Damascus or other cities is extremely risky due to restrictions and security threats. In some instances, Druze patients were denied admission to Damascus hospitals on sectarian or technical grounds.

Women in Sweida face particularly dire conditions, with no mammography services available for early cancer detection, resulting in delayed diagnoses and low survival rates for advanced cases. Diabetic patients also face life-threatening shortages of insulin and other essential medicines. The Druze population is effectively trapped, with humanitarian access limited by hostile territory and government restrictions.

Dr. Shekh, with support from the Druze community in Israel, the Israeli government, and organizations like the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), has developed an innovative system to procure medications from Damascus and transport them covertly to Sweida. Local hospitals agreed to coordinate with his operation, with staff salaries funded to simultaneously support the local economy. This network has enabled over 630 major surgeries and supplied cancer treatments to more than 1,500 patients.

For patients requiring specialized care unavailable in Syria, Dr. Shekh arranges transfers to Israel. He also initiated The Cradle program to ensure safe deliveries for Druze women, particularly those displaced by conflict, providing cradles, medical care, and essential supplies. Since its inception, 118 babies have been born in private hospitals in Sweida under this initiative.

Separate clinics have been established in the Israeli-controlled buffer zone, in partnership with the IDF and IFCJ, offering full medical services including emergency care, surgery, maternity care, lab testing, and pharmacies. These clinics serve Druze and Christian populations, with staff volunteering their services. Critical medications like insulin have been supplied through these channels, stabilizing patients during periods of severe shortages in Sweida.

The ongoing violence in Sweida is part of a broader pattern of targeting minority communities, with Druze villages burned, civilians executed, religious sites destroyed, and mass casualties reported. The attacks resemble historical atrocities in their scale and intent, leaving the Druze population with little protection from state forces and limited international assistance.

Despite aid from international organizations, the most consistent and effective support has come from the Druze community in Israel and affiliated humanitarian efforts. Local leaders emphasize the importance of solidarity and community-based initiatives, highlighting the critical role of covert medical operations in saving lives amid systemic neglect and targeted attacks.

Author: Ethan Caldwell