NewsGaza hospitals on the brink as Israeli forces issue urgent evacuation orders

Gaza hospitals on the brink as Israeli forces issue urgent evacuation orders

KHAN YUNIS, GAZA - JANUARY 24: Smoke rises after Israeli attacks hit training center of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), where more than ten thousand civilians took shelter, in Khan Yunis, Gaza on January 24, 2024. The facility was providing shelter for more than ten thousand civilians. The attack resulted in a fire breaking out in one of the buildings within the center. (Photo by Ramez Habboub/Anadolu via Getty Images)
KHAN YUNIS, GAZA - JANUARY 24: Smoke rises after Israeli attacks hit training center of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), where more than ten thousand civilians took shelter, in Khan Yunis, Gaza on January 24, 2024. The facility was providing shelter for more than ten thousand civilians. The attack resulted in a fire breaking out in one of the buildings within the center. (Photo by Ramez Habboub/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Images source: © GETTY | Anadolu

7:27 PM EST, January 24, 2024

Recent developments in Gaza have plunged the region into a deepening humanitarian crisis. Israeli forces have issued evacuation orders for areas encompassing several major hospitals in Gaza, leading to a dire situation for thousands of civilians and patients. This move comes amid increasing military activity in the region, with Israeli forces intensifying their offensive against Hamas militants.

Struggle for Survival in Besieged Hospitals

The evacuation orders include Al-Amal Hospital and Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, among the few medical facilities still operational in Gaza. These hospitals, already strained by the ongoing conflict and a surge in casualties, are now facing the impossible task of evacuating patients amidst continuous bombardment. The Palestine Red Crescent Society reported intense shelling near Al-Amal Hospital. It highlighted the difficulty of moving patients and staff under such dangerous conditions. The Gazan Health Ministry has indicated that Nasser Hospital is virtually cut off due to continuous bombing, making it nearly impossible for injured individuals to access medical care​​.

The situation is further compounded by reports from Al Jazeera indicating that the al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City, sheltering hundreds of patients and over 12,000 displaced civilians, has received threats of imminent bombing from Israeli forces. The hospital, crucial in providing care to many, including those in intensive care and newborns, is now in the crosshairs of the conflict​​.

Global Health Concerns

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concerns about these developments. With half of Gaza's hospitals and two-thirds of its primary healthcare centres no longer functional, the region's healthcare infrastructure is on the brink of collapse. The WHO condemned Israel's evacuation orders, highlighting that such actions could be tantamount to a death sentence for the critically ill and injured patients in these facilities. They emphasized the dire circumstances in which hospital directors and health workers find themselves, having to choose between abandoning sick, critical patients and risking their lives to continue providing care amidst the bombings​​​​.

Sources: DNyuz

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