Palestine: Two major hospitals in northern Gaza, Al Shifa and Al-Quds have closed to new patients. Staff members said that those already receiving treatment could die due to Israeli bombardment as well as a lack of fuel and medicine.
Medical staff noted that due to Israeli blockades, hospitals in the northern part of the Palestinian enclave are scarcely able to provide care for people inside. Israel said that the hospitals needed to be evacuated because it was homing in on Hamas fighters in the area.
Al-Shifa, the largest hospital in Gaza, and Al-Quds, another significant hospital announced that they were suspending operations on November 12. Every day, there are more deaths and injuries, but the injured have fewer and fewer places to go.
A plastic surgeon in Shifa hospital pointed out that the incubator facility was bombed, forcing the staff to line up premature babies on ordinary beds, using the little power available to turn the air conditioning to warm.
Mr. Ashraf Al-Qidra, Gaza health ministry spokesperson, said that Israeli fire was “terrorising medical officials and civilians alike”.
Israel noted that Hamas has placed command centres under and near the hospitals and it needs to get at them to free around 200 hostages the militants took in Israel on a killing spree just over a month ago. Hospital utilization in this manner has been rejected by Hamas.
A Palestinian official briefed on the discussions for the captive release commented that Hamas had called off the negotiations due to Israel’s handling of Shifa Hospital.
Israel, which has noted that the only way to free captives is through military pressure on Hamas, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Without providing details, Israeli Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the hospital had been offered fuel but refused it.
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