Gaza’s largest hospital, Al Shifa, has not been operational since Saturday, when it ran out of fuel while surrounded by Israeli forces.
Three premature babies have since died, Dr Munir El Bursh, a senior Health Ministry official within Al Shifa, told The Telegraph this morning. With incubators idle without electricity, 36 more premature babies are at risk of dying, he said.
“Everyone has diarrhea, vomiting and difficult vital signs,” he said in a message. The World Health Organization has confirmed that Shifa is “no longer functioning as a hospital” because supplies are running out and the injured cannot be treated.
The Health Ministry said there are 1,500 patients in Shifa, along with 1,500 medical staff and between 15,000 and 20,000 people seeking shelter.
“Continued gunfire and bombardments in the area have worsened already critical conditions,” said WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, adding that the hospital has been without water for three days.
“The world cannot stand still while hospitals, which should be safe havens, are transformed into scenes of death, destruction and despair.”
Israel said it had offered to evacuate newborn babies and donated 300 liters of fuel to the hospital, but accused Hamas of blocking both gestures.
Hamas denied the claims, saying the amount of fuel was a “mockery” that “denigrates the sick,” adding that it would only supply the hospital with power for 30 minutes.
#Israeli #troops #pictured #Gazas #parliament #follow #latest
