Who is Adam Hamawy? Doctor who served in Gaza is on the path to US Congress

Adam Hamawy, a plastic surgeon, army veteran and conflict-zone medical worker, has won a crowded Democratic primary for an open seat in the United States House of Representatives.

The Egyptian-born doctor’s victory puts him on track to represent New Jersey’s 12th Congressional District, a Democratic stronghold. He will face off with Republican Gregg Mele on November 3 in the midterm elections.

While the New Jersey primary continues a streak of progressive wins in solidly Democratic districts, Hamawy stands out from many of his peers. If elected in November, he will become the only member of Congress with firsthand experience of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Speaking to Al Jazeera in April, Hamawy recounted his experience travelling to Washington, DC, following his medical mission to the Palestinian enclave in 2024.

“[I was] talking to lawmakers and our representatives as a witness to say: This is happening there,” Hamawy recounted. “This is real. This isn’t fake news. This isn’t just on social media. I’ve experienced it, and this is what I saw in my own eyes.”

He received a mixed response. A handful of lawmakers spoke out against the war, citing his testimony. Others expressed private condemnation but did nothing publicly, and some closed their doors to any meeting with Hamawy.

“This is what prompted me to run,” he said. “We need more [elected officials] that are brave, more that will actually act upon what we know is wrong.”

As a representative, Hamawy hopes he can help steer the House to confront Israel’s genocidal war and the US role in it. “I felt I had to go to Washington to fix this myself.”