Injured Palestinians flood al-Aqsa Hospital in Gaza as exhausted medics struggle to cope with casualties from Israel’s relentless bombardment. The hospital is running critically low on medical supplies, and many of the remaining medics have been displaced themselves, fearing further attacks. Doctor Khaled Abu Awaimer expressed the helplessness they feel, stating, We have cases we can’t do anything about. We have nothing to offer so we feel completely helpless.
Israel’s stated objective is to eradicate Hamas, the militant group that launched an offensive against the border, resulting in over 1,200 deaths, mostly civilians, and the capture of more than 240 hostages. The ongoing assault on Gaza has claimed the lives of over 23,400 people, according to health authorities, forcing most residents to flee their homes.
The deteriorating situation has raised concerns about the collapse of Gaza’s health system, with the fate of the strip’s hospitals and the plight of its medics in the spotlight. Dr. Abu Awaimer reported that the hospital’s surroundings had been recently hit, with ambulances destroyed. The harrowing conditions have led to an incident in which an Israeli attack targeted a Palestinian Red Crescent Society ambulance, resulting in the death of four medical workers and two injured individuals.
Dr. James Smith, a British doctor who worked at al-Aqsa hospital until his evacuation, described the trauma injuries as the most severe he and his colleagues had ever witnessed. The hospital, struggling as the only functioning one in the area, was inundated with hundreds of patients daily. These patients, physically injured and emotionally distraught, pushed the medical staff to their limits. Smith recounted the heartbreaking story of an 11 or 12-year-old girl with severe burns all over her body, unable to survive despite their best efforts to alleviate her pain.
Aside from the immediate dangers posed by the bombardment, the lack of essentials like food, clean water, and electricity, as well as the mass displacement of Gazans to tent cities, are further compromising the overall health situation. Jamila Abo Amsha, a mother living in a tent in Rafah after escaping the bombardment, lamented, The entire Gaza Strip population is dying, and the world is watching.
As the conflict rages on, the international community must come together to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Urgent efforts are needed to support the exhausted medics and provide them with the necessary resources. Additionally, assistance must be provided to the displaced population and the strained health system. Only through collective action can the plight of Gaza’s innocent civilians be alleviated and a path towards peace and stability be forged.
