Al Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest healthcare facility, faces a severe crisis amidst intense Israeli bombings nearby. Newborns at the hospital are being wrapped in foil and placed next to hot water bottles in an urgent effort to keep them warm and alive.
Al-Araby TV reported, citing Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, a senior official at the hospital. Two of Gaza’s major hospitals, including Al Shifa, have ceased operations due to the bombings, resulting in numerous casualties and injuries.
The situation has deteriorated to the point where the hospital staff had to manually move newborns from neonatal unit incubators to another area due to a shortage of oxygen supplies. Images from the hospital showed several newborns removed from incubators and clustered together in an attempt to provide warmth.
The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the situation at Al Shifa as “dire and perilous,” with the hospital no longer functioning effectively. He reported increasing patient fatalities and called for an immediate ceasefire, emphasizing that hospitals should be safe havens, not scenes of devastation.
Ongoing Conflict and Its Impact on Healthcare
Israel’s military action targeting Hamas, which it claims has launched attacks from southern Israel and has command centres near hospitals, has severely affected healthcare facilities in Gaza. Hospitals like Al Shifa are struggling to cope with the influx of patients amid power outages and intense fighting.
The WHO’s communication with health professionals at Shifa revealed the critical circumstances patients and medical staff face. This situation underscores the devastating impact of the conflict on innocent civilians and the urgent need for a ceasefire to protect lives and essential medical facilities.
