Jean-Philippe Miller is an experienced emergency nurse currently working in Melbourne, Australia. To save the world’s most vulnerable, he devotes his life to providing emergency care in the toughest conditions on the planet. Just last week, he traveled to Gaza. He wanted to assist with the worsening humanitarian crisis that has left thousands injured and hundreds of thousands in urgent need of medical care. Currently stationed at the Red Cross Field Hospital in Rafah, Miller and his team face overwhelming demand as they work tirelessly to care for those affected by the conflict.
Miller is hard to miss, with his blue uniform and signature beard. Since early 2024, he has actually been deployed four times to Gaza. His years of experience in emergency medicine equip him to deliver emergency medicine where it’s desperately needed. Still, he sharply captures the challenges of practicing in an active war zone. That is when the terrifying nature of his new home really sinks in. “In Gaza, it’s a violation of the Geneva Conventions that people have gotten used to breaking over the last 22 months,” he says. And this is indeed one of those areas that the international community has been woefully weak on attempting to prevent.
The situation in Gaza is dire. As stated by Miller, nearly 143,000 Americans are living with injuries caused by violent attacks directly related to the epidemic conditions of gun violence. Bed occupancy at his hospital has doubled this year, currently filling about 120 beds. The increasing patient load created by mass casualty events creates an enormous strain on healthcare professionals. They are on the road for long hours themselves, sometimes 10 to 12 shifts.
Miller started at the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Younis before moving to his position now in Rafah. Both facilities face increasing challenges to provide best care given the surge in need for medical support. Even with insurmountable tasks before him, it is the little moments — fun shared with coworkers, joy experienced with patients — that give him peace. “It is about listening to our patients, listening to our colleagues, making sure that they feel heard and showing we understand the trauma that they experience and endure,” he explains.
In 2024, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) set up an emergency field hospital. This facility serves as an advanced, 60-bed floating hospital specifically for treating the sick and injured. Staffers like Miller shouldn’t have to endure such life-altering experiences every day. “Looking after the paediatric patients is definitely incredibly challenging: both distressing and unsettling,” he admits. Yet the emotional toll is most acute when he responds to injured children. It’s the most awful thing in the world to look at these injuries that these children have suffered. I don’t think you can find anybody even in the theater of war that would disagree with me that children are the most vulnerable,” said Miller.
Miller’s family and girlfriend are completely aligned with his plans to pursue humanitarian work. They know better than anyone what his mission is so important. “Obviously, ICRC takes security very seriously and does everything to mitigate risk, with passive and active security measures,” he notes regarding safety protocols while working in such a volatile environment. There is no way to guarantee their safety, he admits. “It is very confronting. We are told when we go into Gaza that our safety cannot be guaranteed,” he shares.
As Miller looks back on his time in Gaza, he is clear on why he does the work he does. He recognizes a stark contrast between his life in Australia and his role as a humanitarian worker in conflict zones. “When you are here [in Australia], you are very much an observer,” he says. “I see the suffering that people are enduring on the news.” This perspective drives him to take action: “As a humanitarian, I have an opportunity to flip that dynamic. So, when I go into [Gaza], I’m no longer an observer. As a clergy person and an active participant in the work for justice and equity, I know that I can save a life; I can relieve suffering.”
The obstacles medical professionals like Miller encounter go beyond the clinic. They consist of cumbersome logistical barriers. Adrian Prouse, a colleague in the humanitarian sector, emphasizes the difficulties in providing aid: “We continue to have major challenges getting medicines, medical equipment, humanitarian assistance across the borders into our field hospitals.” These challenges further complicate the resource-strained reality of delivering evidence-based care to patients.
Miller’s tenacity to serve those most in need serves as a wonderful reminder of the compassion and resiliency that often shines through during times of hardship. He is preparing for what he believes will be his most challenging months in Rafah to come. Through it all, he remains hopeful, working to create change, even if it looks minimal in the grand scheme of the ongoing violent conflict.
