The recent intensification of air strikes in Gaza has had a devastating impact on hospitals in the region. The hospitals are facing severe shortages of medical supplies and are struggling to cope with the influx of dead and wounded. This has resulted in a dire health situation for the people of Gaza and has put the lives of many at risk.
One of the hospitals that has been particularly affected is the Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in central Gaza. The hospital is running out of material to cover the dead bodies, which are piling up in the courtyard. Doctors are working tirelessly to treat the walking wounded and save the gravely injured, but their efforts are hindered by the lack of medicine and supplies. The situation in the hospital is overwhelming, with doctors racing to finish procedures before moving on to the next patient.
The images coming out from the hospital are too graphic to share, with children and babies among the dead. The Hamas-controlled health ministry has reported that more than 100 people were killed in the air strikes. The Israeli military claims that it targeted the hospital based on intelligence information about the presence of a Hamas leader in the area.
Similar scenes are being witnessed in other hospitals across the territory as the Israel-Gaza war enters its third week. At the al-Quds hospital in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa area, a team of 23 doctors and nurses is treating over 500 people, while bombs strike nearby buildings. The patients and civilians sheltering in the hospital are living in a state of terror, and doctors are faced with the difficult task of prioritizing who to treat first.
The health situation in Gaza is described as catastrophic, with many wounded individuals waiting several days for surgery. The medical staff has been depleted due to casualties and the inability of some doctors to reach the hospital. Those who remain are sharing the building with 1,200 displaced people who have sought shelter there.
Supplies in Gaza hospitals are dwindling, even after the entry of the first 20 aid trucks from Egypt. Fuel is particularly scarce, and hospitals are relying on generators for electricity. Unicef has highlighted the plight of 120 babies, including premature newborns on ventilators, who are dependent on backup generators. The lack of fuel puts their lives at risk.
The situation in Gaza hospitals is dire, and urgent action is needed to ensure the delivery of adequate medical supplies and fuel. The international community must intervene to bring an end to the hostilities and facilitate the provision of humanitarian aid to Gaza. The loss of innocent lives, including children and babies, is a tragic consequence of the intensifying air strikes, and the impact on the already strained healthcare system is devastating.
