Gaza Hospitals Face Dire Situation Amid Ongoing Israel-Hamas Conflict
Some hospitals in Gaza are in a dire and perilous situation, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), as the ongoing Israel-Hamas war takes a toll on the region’s healthcare system. Al-Shifa and Al-Quds hospitals have been forced to suspend operations due to the escalating violence.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the WHO, took to social media to express his concerns. He revealed that Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City had been without electricity and water since Saturday, following a nearby missile strike that damaged the medical facility’s backup generator. The constant bombings and gunfire in the area have worsened the critical circumstances, leading to a significant increase in patient fatalities.
Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical center, faced further challenges when fuel ran out, causing the neonatal intensive care unit’s incubators to shut down. Doctors had to resort to wrapping the babies in sheets and keeping them close together to maintain their body temperature. Tragically, three premature babies died when their incubators lost power on Friday night. Although the hospital’s ventilators were restored by Sunday, healthcare workers fear that more lives will be lost due to the relentless bombings.
Meanwhile, Al-Quds Hospital, the second largest in Gaza City, has been blockaded by Israeli forces, making it impossible to provide adequate care for those inside. The hospital staff, along with their patients and refugees seeking shelter, were forced to evacuate on foot, leaving only those who require ventilation to be transferred by ambulance.
The Israeli military has pledged to assist in the evacuation of remaining infants from Al-Shifa Hospital but has not yet provided details about the operation. Israeli officials claim that Hamas, a designated terrorist group, is using hospitals as operational centers and using the people inside as human shields.
According to Ashraf Al-Qidra, a spokesman for the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, at least 20 people, including babies, have died at Al-Quds Hospital over the past three days. The situation inside the hospital is described as disastrous. The heavy bombardment and explosions surrounding the hospital have hindered the evacuation of patients and medical staff. Numerous attempts by humanitarian organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, to secure the evacuation have been unsuccessful.
International organizations and humanitarian groups are urgently calling for a ceasefire to allow much-needed aid to reach Gaza, including food, medicine, and fuel supplies. Doctors Without Borders and other humanitarian agencies have repeatedly condemned the shelling of hospitals, warning that an unprecedented humanitarian crisis is unfolding in the region.
Gaza’s other operational hospitals are also experiencing grim conditions. Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis has reported an increasing number of admissions, leading to a rise in infections. Due to overcrowding, cases of sepsis, neonatal sepsis, and meningitis have surged. The hospitals struggle to obtain clean drinking water, washing water, and fuel for the generators, exacerbating the already dire situation.
With over 11,000 people killed and over 29,000 injured in Gaza since the beginning of the conflict, several hospitals have come under attack during heavy fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants. The Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health blamed the Israel Defense Forces for a strike on Al-Shifa Hospital’s outpatient clinic, but the IDF denies responsibility.
As the conflict rages on, the international community is closely monitoring the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Efforts are underway to secure a ceasefire and urgent assistance for the affected population.
