‘Whoever needs surgery dies:’ Al-Shifa director as clashes rage near Gaza hospital; lives of 45 newborns under threat
- Israel-Hamas war: The largest hospital in Gaza, Al-Shifa, has stopped functioning as fatalities of war victims increase in the ongoing Israeli assault on the Hamas-controlled strip.
The largest hospital in Gaza, Al-Shifa, has ceased to function and fatalities of war victims are escalating, as a blistering Israeli assault continues in the Hamas-controlled strip. According to the CNN report, director of the Al Shifa hospital said, “The operating rooms are completely out of service, and now the wounded come to us and we cannot give them anything other than first aid”. None of the operating rooms at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza are functioning due to lack of electricity, the report added.
Israel says Hamas militants, who launched deadly attacks in southern Israel on October 7, have command centers under and near the hospitals.
Hospital authorities of Al-Shifa have described the situation as "dire and perilous" with constant gunfire and bombing exacerbating the already critical circumstances.
Israel declared war on Hamas after the 7th October attack in which about 1,200 Israelis were killed by militants.
Israel's encirclement of Al-Shifa hospital has sparked anger and protests worldwide. Supporters of Israel, including the US, argue that a ceasefire would allow Hamas to regroup and launch more attacks.
Yesterday the White House agreed that all hostages held by Hamas must be released "without further delay.
BABIES AT RISK
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) have said their troops delivered 300 litres of fuel to the Shifa hospital for urgent medical purposes.
The IDF said Hamas forbade the hospital from taking the fuel.
"Our troops risked their lives to hand-deliver 300 litres of fuel to the Shifa hospital for urgent medical purposes. Hamas forbade the hospital from taking it," the IDF wrote on 'X'.
Hamas denied that it refused the fuel and said the hospital was under the authority of Gaza's Health Ministry, adding that the amount of fuel Israel said it offered was "not enough to operate the (hospital's) generators for more than half an hour."
According to the Reuters news agency, 45 babies are in incubators at Shifa while three babies died in the neonatal unit of the hospital after the hospital went "out of service" due to a ground offensive by Israel in Gaza.
A plastic surgeon in Shifa said bombing of the building housing incubators had forced them to line up premature babies on ordinary beds, using the little power available to turn the air conditioning to warm. “We wrap them in foil and put hot water next to them so that we can warm them,” Dr Muhammad Abu Salmiya, Al Shifa's director said.
"We are expecting to lose more of them day by day," said Dr Ahmed El Mokhallalati.
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Business NewsNewsWorld‘Whoever needs surgery dies:’ Al-Shifa director as clashes rage near Gaza hospital; lives of 45 newborns under threat
First Published:13 Nov 2023, 07:22 AM IST
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