Gaza Herald _ ‏After earning a prestigious scholarship in Britain, Dr. Maysara Al-Rais chose to return home to serve Gaza. Months later, he was killed alongside members of his family, leaving behind a legacy of compassion, service, and hope.
‏A Doctor Who Chose Service Over Opportunity
For Dr. Maysara Al-Rais, medicine was never simply a career, it was a lifelong commitment to serving others. That commitment began during his medical studies in Gaza and continued in London, where he pursued advanced education before making the decision to return home, despite having the opportunity to build a future abroad.
His sister, Fatima Al-Rais, the sole surviving member of her immediate family, remembers Maysara as an exceptional student from an early age. Born on January 31, 1995, he consistently ranked first throughout elementary, middle, and high school.
Speaking to Felesteen newspaper, Fatima said her brother graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at Al-Azhar University in Gaza in 2019. Soon afterward, he was awarded the prestigious UK Chevening Scholarship, which enabled him to earn a master’s degree in Women’s and Children’s Health at King’s College London.
His years in Britain were never about seeking a permanent life overseas. Instead, Maysara viewed them as an opportunity to gain knowledge and experience that he intended to bring back to Gaza. After completing his studies, he returned to the Strip in July 2021 and joined Médecins du Monde (Doctors of the World), where he worked to strengthen Gaza’s healthcare sector.
Choosing Home
Fatima says her brother could have remained outside Gaza, but he chose to come home, deeply influenced by their father’s wish that his children stay close to their family.
Those words stayed with him. After returning, Maysara began building both his professional and personal life. He became engaged, married, and looked toward the future. Just five months after his wedding, that future was cut short.
Only two weeks before Israel’s military campaign began in October 2023, Maysara had returned from London with his wife, unaware that Gaza was about to enter one of the darkest chapters in its history.
Although he worked with Doctors of the World, Maysara’s role extended beyond treating patients. He contributed to strengthening Gaza’s healthcare system by supporting medical programs, training healthcare workers, and improving the readiness of health facilities.
According to his sister, his dedication to humanitarian work long predated the war. He regularly volunteered in medical initiatives and helped provide first aid during the Great March of Return demonstrations, reflecting a commitment to public service that defined his life.
Remembered by Friends and Colleagues
Dr. Jihad Hammad recalls meeting Maysara for the first time beside the River Thames in London. Their final meeting took place years later at a café in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood.
He remembers Maysara as a calm, humble, and exceptionally talented young physician who balanced academic excellence with kindness and humility. They often met alongside other Palestinian graduates from British universities, where conversations centered on how they could use their education to benefit their homeland.
For Hammad, Maysara represented a generation of Palestinians determined to bring their knowledge back to Gaza. That journey ended beneath the rubble of his family’s home.
A Family Devastated
On November 5, 2023, tragedy struck the Al-Rais family.
Fatima says an Israeli airstrike destroyed the residential building where the family lived on Al-Sinaa Street in Gaza City. Inside were her father, mother, brother Maysara, sisters Arib and Izzah, and Izzah’s three children.
Her brother Moayad had stepped outside only moments before the strike. Seconds later, the entire building collapsed.
Rescue teams managed to recover some family members after days of searching, while others remained trapped beneath the debris because the area was inaccessible.
Fatima says her brothers, Moayad and Mohammad, later returned to assist rescuers and wait for civil defense crews. Both were killed when the area came under attack again.
More than two years later, civil defense teams finally recovered the remains of several family members, including Maysara and his sister, Dr. Arib Al-Rais. Forensic specialists later confirmed their identities.
The recovered relatives were laid to rest together—a burial that reflected the devastating loss endured by a single family.
A Legacy That Lives On
Although Maysara’s life ended in Gaza, his impact continues to be felt far beyond it.
At King’s College London, where he completed his master’s degree, the university honored his memory by displaying his portrait. At Fatima’s suggestion, the artwork was created using traditional Palestinian embroidery, celebrating both his academic achievements and his cultural heritage.
The university also established the Dr. Maysara Al-Rais Scholarship for the 2025–2026 academic year to support Palestinian students, ensuring that his commitment to education, medicine, and public service continues to inspire future generations.
Maysara Al-Rais did not live to fulfill all the dreams that carried him from Gaza to London and back again. Yet his story endures as that of a physician who chose to return home when he could have stayed abroad—a doctor who dedicated his knowledge to his people and whose legacy continues through the lives he touched.
