A U.S. trauma surgeon, Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, survived a deadly Israeli airstrike in Gaza on March 23, 2025, which hit the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where he was working. The blast killed two people, including one of his patients. Sidhwa described the moment the explosion hit the hospital, causing the ICU's doors to strike him in the face. He recalled feeling fear that day but remains committed to returning to Gaza, saying, "Somebody's got to go do this." Sidhwa, based in California, has traveled to multiple countries, including the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Ukraine, and most recently Gaza, to provide medical aid. Despite his mother's worries and emotional plea on the phone, he remains determined to return to Gaza early next year. The dangers faced by aid workers have grown significantly in recent years. According to the United Nations, over 1,000 aid workers have been killed in the past three years. The Aid Worker Security Database, maintained by the independent research organization Humanitarian Outcomes, reports that violent incidents involving aid workers have increased by more than 1,500% since 2000. In 2024, Gaza, Sudan, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo accounted for most of the attacks and killings. So far this year, there have been at least 160 major attacks. In February alone, four incidents occurred within 10 days in Sudan, resulting in deaths and injuries among World Food Programme partners and contractors. Dr. Michael Samotowka, a trauma surgeon who travels to Ukraine six to 10 times a year, said that the work of aid workers and medics is critical and often under threat. He described the psychological toll of being targeted, saying it's "demoralizing," but he remains committed to his mission. He and his colleagues have evacuation plans and security teams, yet in December 2023, a missile struck an operating room he had been working in just two months earlier. Samotowka stressed the importance of respecting the Geneva Conventions, which are international treaties that protect civilians, medics, and aid workers. He called for accountability for those who violate these laws, saying, "There needs to be some form of punishment for those who violate the law." Dr. Sidhwa also called for action, urging Americans to contact their members of Congress. He suggested that one practical way to protect aid workers is to pressure countries that attack doctors and nurses to stop receiving U.S. weapons. The U.S. State Department declined an interview request from CBS News but issued a statement saying it favors accountability for attacks on aid workers and hospitals and condemns such violence. Both Sidhwa and Samotowka continue their work despite the risks, driven by a belief in the importance of their mission in war-torn regions.