Gaza's Hospitals Struggle amidst Israeli Strikes and Scarce Supplies
Gaza's hospitals overwhelmed as Israeli strikes and fuel shortages ravage the region Al-Shifa hospital, the largest medical facility, struggles to cope with the influx of patients A woman with a bleeding leg sits dazed on the floor, while a young man lies bandaged on blood-soaked tiles
At Al-Shifa hospital, the biggest medical facility in Gaza, a disoriented and fatigued woman sits on the ground, her leg bleeding. Nearby, a young man lies motionless on tiles stained with blood, his neck and legs securely bandaged.
The remainder of the emergency room on Tuesday witnessed a multitude of individuals, of varying ages and genders - some weeping, some quivering, and others peacefully resting on makeshift sleeping arrangements placed on the floor.
"The condition of hospitals is extremely distressing... it brings tears to your eyes," expressed Rajaa Musleh, a 50-year-old woman seeking refuge at Al-Shifa, when speaking with CNN on Thursday.
"There is a severe shortage of medical equipment, and people are crammed together," stated Musleh, who also serves as Gaza's country representative for the healthcare charity, MedGlobal.
Musleh, a victim of Israel's bombardment of Gaza, laments the diminishing fuel reserves that are essential for operating the hospital that is currently providing shelter not only to patients but also to the countless displaced individuals who have no alternative housing options.
As of Wednesday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that over 1.4 million people in Gaza have been internally displaced. Additionally, more than half a million individuals are seeking refuge in facilities managed by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). These facilities are currently accommodating three times the intended capacity.
The hospitals corridors are lined with piles of both trash and people, according to Musleh. Many residents sleep on the floors as they consider hospitals to be safe. "Everywhere there is the smell of death," she stated. "Everywhere there is the smell of blood."
A woman and children, all injured, try to get to the safety amid destruction and chaos caused by Israeli airstrikes on Bureij refugee camp in Gaza on Thursday.
The Ramallah-based Palestinian Ministry of Health issued a warning on Wednesday, stating that the medical complex is in danger of shutting down within 24 hours due to a depletion of fuel required to operate its generators.
Al-Shifa hospital, situated in Gaza City, is now being drawn into the forefront. Israel has recently alleged that the hospital serves as a significant command and control center for Hamas.
The Gaza Strip, spanning 140 square miles, stands as one of the most densely populated regions on the planet. It is currently enduring relentless bombardment by the Israeli military, with the aim of eliminating the Hamas militant group. This group had carried out a savage assault on Israel on October 7, resulting in the death of 1,400 people and the abduction of over 200 individuals.
Overloaded
According to data obtained from within the Hamas-controlled territory, the Ramallah-based Palestinian health ministry has reported that over 9,000 individuals have lost their lives in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes. Additionally, the ministry confirms that more than 22,000 people have sustained injuries.
Hospital staff are completely drained, according to Dr. Alaa Shitali, a medical officer in the emergency department of Al-Shifas. On Tuesday, while surrounded by patients, he expressed his inability, both as a human being and a medical officer, to withstand this difficult situation.
Shitali has been separated from his family for several days and is forced to stay at the hospital, attending to the overwhelming influx of patients. "We are overwhelmed," he stated.
Palestinians leave their homes following Israeli bombardments on Gaza, on October 30, 2023.
Abed Khaled/AP
Dr. Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care and humanitarian doctor with the aid organization Doctors Without Borders, revealed that the population in Gaza is facing dehumanization. At Al-Shifa, doctors are witnessing devastating injuries in children, including severe burns, amputations, and other catastrophic wounds. This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu dismisses calls for a ceasefire.
"And the doctors, facing a scarcity of anesthetic drugs, are compelled to provide them with meager pain relief," she informed CNN. "Additionally, the insufficiency of antibiotics for treating wound infections and the scarcity of dressings have further compounded the challenges we face."
Furthermore, the remaining hospitals in Gaza are also grappling with dire circumstances, leading to the complete closure of some facilities.
The Turkish-Palestinian Friendship hospital, Gaza's prominent cancer facility, has ceased operations due to Israeli airstrikes and limited fuel, according to a statement from the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health on Wednesday. Currently, 16 out of Gaza's 35 hospitals are closed. Israel contends that there is fuel in Gaza, albeit under Hamas jurisdiction. CNN is unable to verify the exact quantity of fuel within the region.
The Turkey-Palestine Friendship hospital was targeted by Israel on Monday, causing destruction to the oxygen and water supplies on the third floor, according to hospital director Sobhi Skaik. A video verified by CNN, which was shared on social media, displayed smoke emerging from the main building of the facility.
Skaik mentioned that the patients are experiencing extreme anxiety and panic as a result of the attack, leading some of them to escape from the hospital.
A Palestinian man injured in an Israeli airstrike is carried on a stretcher at Nasser Medical Hospital, in Khan Younis, Gaza on October 27, 2023.
The Israeli military's statement on Tuesday clarified that they did not target the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship hospital in Gaza, without providing additional details.
In Gazas Indonesian hospital, the primary generator experienced a power outage on Wednesday, impacting the medical services in the northern section of the enclave. As a result, the 16,000-square-meter facility is now relying on a secondary generator, causing certain areas of the hospital to be without power. Dr. Atef Al Kahlout, the director of the hospital, informed CNN that critical systems like ventilation in operating rooms and oxygen stations are no longer functioning. Additionally, the morgue refrigerators in the hospital are also affected by this power interruption.
The densely populated Jabalya refugee camp in northern Gaza, which was targeted by Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday and Wednesday, resulting in numerous casualties, is in close proximity to the Indonesian hospital. According to medics, the hospital is the nearest medical facility to the camp. On Tuesday, videos captured by CNN depicted extensive queues of deceased individuals outside the hospital.
Hanging by a thread
The strain on hospitals have also taken a toll on vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and newborn children.
Care International issued a warning on Monday, stating that the critical medical situation in Gaza is further amplifying the already disproportionately high rates of maternal and newborn mortality.
Palestinians seek refuge at Al-Quds Hospital amidst ongoing Israeli attacks in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City, Gaza on Tuesday.
Pregnant women in Gaza are being subjected to emergency C-sections without anesthesia, according to a Geneva-based agency. Care International reported that approximately 160 pregnant women are expected to give birth daily in the Gaza Strip for the next month. Moreover, there are approximately 130 newborn infants in incubators that rely on electricity, which is currently unavailable. The UN stated on Monday that hospitals in the besieged and severely damaged enclave are barely functioning, with only around 10 hospitals still operational.
However, according to the UN, these facilities are consistently being issued evacuation orders. Dr. Bashar Morad, who serves as the Executive Director of the Palestinian Red Crescent and the Director of the Al-Quds Hospital, reveals that his facility has been subjected to numerous evacuation orders by Israel during the ongoing conflict.
Evacuation is extremely difficult due to the situation. Al-Quds, a healthcare facility in the northern Gaza Strip, is currently receiving a large number of wounded patients and housing displaced Palestinians seeking shelter. According to Morad, who spoke to CNN on Monday, there are approximately 16,000 displaced individuals taking refuge at Al-Quds. As the facility was not originally designed to accommodate such a large number of people, many are living in the corridors of the building.
CNN
The fuel, medical supplies, food, and water supplies are depleting rapidly, according to Morad. He emphasized the urgent need for replenishments due to the high number of patients and people taking shelter in the hospital. However, the delivery of aid has been delayed due to the Israeli military's actions that have divided the northern and southern parts of the strip.
The Al-Quds hospital in Gaza City has suffered significant damage and put residents and patients at risk of suffocation due to Israeli airstrikes, according to the Palestinian Red Crescent Society. They accuse Israel of deliberately targeting the hospital in order to compel its evacuation. The IDF, in response to CNN's inquiries, stated that due to escalating hostilities against Hamas in Gaza City and northern Gaza, they are urging civilians to relocate to the south.
The airstrike caused dust and smoke to fill all departments, resulting in a state of panic and fear among women and children, according to Morad. Musleh, who sought shelter at Al-Shifa, vividly portrayed the aftermath of the airstrikes, likening it to the sight of lifeless bodies being removed, resembling the movement of slaughtered animals.
The smell of bodies in morgues has started to emanate, she revealed, while countless unidentified corpses are being laid to rest in mass graves. "Gaza has been forsaken," Musleh lamented. "It is enduring a ruthless slaughter from within."
This report includes contributions from CNN's Kareem El Damanhoury, Kareem Khadder, Gul Tuysuz, Ibrahim Dahman, Paul Murphy, Zeena Saifi, and Mohammed Tawfeeq.
