In the face of relentless hostilities between Hamas militants and the Israeli army, an additional 200,000 individuals have fled northern Gaza in the past ten days, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha). The intensification of fighting has placed hospitals at the epicenter, where patients grapple with energy shortages and depleting supplies.
As per Ocha’s report on Tuesday, only one operational hospital, al-Awda, remains in the northern half of the blockaded Gaza Strip, equipped with electricity to admit patients. Other medical facilities in Gaza City now predominantly function as shelters for those escaping the violence.
The dire situation in northern Gaza is compounded by the staggering toll on healthcare infrastructure. Alarming reports from the Gaza health ministry revealed that over the weekend, 32 patients, including three premature infants, succumbed to the harsh conditions. At al-Shifa, the largest hospital in the region, an additional 36 babies and patients are at risk due to the scarcity of life-saving equipment, notably incubators reliant on fuel for generators. To address the grim reality of increasing fatalities, mass graves are being prepared on the hospital grounds.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in a cumulative displacement of approximately 1.5 million people, constituting three-quarters of Gaza’s population, through Israeli military-designated “safe routes” over the six-week duration of the war. Over 11,000 Palestinians and 1,200 individuals in Israel have lost their lives, according to official figures.
Despite these staggering numbers, Ocha emphasizes that hundreds of thousands of individuals, either unwilling or unable to move southward, remain in the north, grappling with intensified hostilities and struggling to secure essential water and food for survival.
Efforts are reportedly underway, as both Israeli and Palestinian officials explore arrangements to evacuate unconscious patients and those requiring dialysis and cancer treatment from al-Shifa to suitable facilities in the southern part of the strip. However, confirmation from medics on the ground is pending.
The United States President, Joe Biden, voiced hope on Monday for a more restrained Israeli military operation at al-Shifa, emphasizing the imperative to protect Palestinian civilians. The intensification of hostilities around hospitals raises concerns globally, with the World Health Organization highlighting the need to prioritize saving lives over perpetuating conflict.
As the humanitarian crisis deepens, international responses, including the dispatch of a French hospital ship and the establishment of a field hospital by the UAE, are anticipated in the coming days. However, these measures face significant challenges in alleviating the immense suffering experienced by Gaza’s population.
