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Portrait of Mads Gilbert

Mads Gilbert

Norwegian physician and professor emeritus at UiT

Friend of PalestineNot Palestinian, and stood with Palestine
Born
1947
Born in
Porsgrunn, Telemark, Norway
Read Mads’s story2 videosAsk about Mads

Why Mads is here

Dr. Mads Gilbert is renowned for his extensive humanitarian work, especially in war-torn areas where medical needs are intertwined with political issue. He has been a steadfast advocate for Palestinians, providing medical assistance in Palestinian territories and Lebanon since the 1970s.

Their story

Mads Gilbert is a Norwegian emergency physician and Palestinian solidarity advocate. UiT’s February 2026 programme identifies him as a professor emeritus and a senior physician at the University Hospital of North Norway.

In pictures

Milestones

The moments that shaped Mads’s path.

  1. 1970s

    Began solidarity work with Palestinians, serving as a doctor in Palestinian territories and Lebanon for NORWAC.

  2. 1981

    First traveled to the Middle East, marking a significant entry into his work as a solidarity doctor.

  3. 1999

    Played a pivotal role in the survival of Anna Bågenholm following a skiing accident, leading to a breakthrough in treating extreme hypothermia.

  4. Worked in Gaza during the Israeli aggressions on Gaza, providing medical aid and reporting on the situation to international media.

  5. 2014

    Published Natt i Gaza in Norwegian in 2014; the English translation Night in Gaza appeared in 2015.

Legacy

What they built, changed and left behind.

  1. Solidarity Medicine

    Practicing and advocating solidarity medicine in Gaza since 1981, focusing on the presence and moral support as much as medical work.

  2. Research and Education

    Extensive research in emergency medicine and anesthesiology, contributing to the academic field as a professor at the University of Tromsø.

  3. Public Advocacy

    Actively raising awareness about the medical and humanitarian situation in Gaza through books, lectures, and media appearances.

    Watch

  4. Humanitarian Efforts

    Regularly visiting Gaza to provide medical aid, despite being banned by Israel in 2014 on security grounds.

    Watch

  5. Political Activism

    Involved in political activism, notably with the Red Party in Norway, and vocal in his opposition to Israeli policies in Palestinian territories.

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Watch & listen

Mads in interviews, talks and coverage.

  • 01Public Advocacy↗

  • 02Humanitarian Efforts↗

Further reading

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