The Ministry of Health in Gaza has announced the suspension of work in three hospitals including the cessation of medical services for children with the countdown beginning for the suspension of additional hospitals.
The Ministry of Health spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qudra stated in a press conference on Thursday evening that the Israeli occupation has escalated its targeting of healthcare personnel resulting in the death of 195 healthcare workers and the destruction of 51 ambulances.
He mentioned that the Israeli occupation has targeted 130 healthcare facilities rendering 18 hospitals (out of 35) and 46 health centers out of service due to the attacks and fuel shortages.
He said that the Israeli occupation targeted the Shifa Medical Complex and the Nasser Children’s Hospital with artillery shells resulting in the injury of 7 displaced persons with various injuries.
He emphasized that the Israeli violations against the healthcare system constitute a gross violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2268 of 2016 which calls for the respect of healthcare workers and the prohibition of attacks against hospitals and healthcare facilities.
Health Situation
He described as dire the health situation in the besieged enclave after 34 days of the Israeli aggression recalling that his ministry had issued multiple appeals that reached every corner in the world but without a response leading to fuel shortages in several new hospitals in Gaza and northern Gaza.
The sole government-run Al-Ayoun Hospital in Gaza has announced the suspension of its services due to fuel shortages which poses great risks to patients.
The only Mental Health Hospital in Gaza has also stopped operating and gone out of service due to fuel shortages which will have serious consequences for mental health patients and the community.
All medical services for children at Al-Rantisi Specialized Children’s Hospital and Nasser Children’s Hospital have been halted except for the operation of intensive care and neonatal units through a small generator.
The last lifeline for children’s services in Gaza and northern Gaza the Rantisi Specialized Hospital and Nasser Children’s Hospital has been suspended and before that the Durra Children’s Hospital.
He noted that the suspension of children’s hospitals deprives sick children of kidney dialysis sessions cancer treatments heart and respiratory disease services epilepsy treatments internal medicine services and will have serious consequences for the lives of children.
He said that the Nasser Children’s Hospital is now being directly targeted and there are a number of wounded and possibly martyrs but ambulances are unable to reach the center due to the ongoing targeting.
The Al-Awda Hospital associated with the Health and Social Return Association has also suspended its operations with the countdown beginning for the suspension of Al-Indonesi Hospital and Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza which will go out of service after only 24 hours due to the lack of fuel.
The countdown has started for the suspension of critical services and the exit of the Shifa Medical Complex from service after just 36 hours.
Al-Qudra stressed that the suspension of hospitals in Gaza and northern Gaza and their exit from service means certain death for thousands of wounded and patients especially in critical departments due to the lack of fuel.
He noted that the Israeli occupation is using starvation as a weapon against thousands of patients wounded medical personnel and displaced persons in hospitals which constitutes a complete war crime.
The spokesman further noted that 900000 residents of Gaza and northern Gaza including wounded patients medical personnel and displaced persons are now homeless without food drink medicine or protection.
He pointed out that they have managed to evacuate only 99 wounded and 73 of their close relatives through the Rafah land crossing since the beginning of this month and they have evacuated some of them without securing a safe passage for them.
Al-Qudra emphasized that the evacuation of the wounded for treatment outside of Gaza is proceeding very slowly and unevenly considering the large number of critical cases that need urgent and safe evacuation before they lose their lives while waiting.
He pointed out that international organizations seem to be strictly subject to Israeli decisions and so far they have not found the means to carry out their humanitarian missions to prevent the catastrophe that the residents of Gaza are facing.
The spokesman accused UNRWA of turning its back on the residents of Gaza and northern Gaza disrupting all healthcare services leaving children without immunization pregnant women without follow-up and leaving people with chronic diseases to face their fate without any intervention.
He said in the face of the ongoing threat to the healthcare system his ministry calls on the United Nations to activate international resolutions and agreements related to the protection of medical institutions healthcare providers and legal frameworks for the protection of civilians.
Al-Qudra also called on all parties to work immediately to provide a safe humanitarian passage for the entry of medical supplies fuel medical personnel and the urgent evacuation of thousands of wounded.
