In Gaza, the health system is in a critical situation, as twelve hospitals and 32 clinics can no longer operate to care for the thousands of wounded people.
The Health Ministry in Gaza reported that 12 hospitals and 30 clinics can no longer serve the local population due to targeting and fuel shortages. However, each day the number of wounded people increases.
Furthermore, the ministry reported 5,791 casualties in Gaza, including 2,360 children, with an additional 704 people killed since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.
Gaza’s ministry has explained the consequences of the Israeli aggression on Gaza on its Facebook account. It highlights that hospitals are treating the wounded with minimal resources, and medical personnel have resorted to using mobile phone flashlights. Similarly, as noted by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), medical professionals have been forced to perform surgeries without anesthesia or essential surgical equipment.
Ashraf Al-Qudra, spokesperson for the Palestinian Ministry of Health, stated, “The healthcare system has reached its worst stage in its history.”
The ministry has also called on the international community to increase the flow of medical aid and fuel and to send specialized medical delegations.
Hospitals face a dire lack of medicines, fuel, and water not only for the thousands wounded but also for routine patients.
“We have currently 120 neonates who are in incubators, out of which we have 70 neonates with mechanical ventilation, and of course, this is where we are extremely concerned,” said UNICEF spokesman Jonathan Crickx. Meanwhile, the WHO said that about 1,000 people needing dialysis will also be at risk if the generators stop.
Around 160 women give birth each day in Gaza, according to the UN Population Fund, which estimates there are 50,000 pregnant women across the territory of 2.4 million people.
Gabriela De La Cruz, with AFP
