Title: Premature babies’ lives hang by a thread as Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza faces catastrophic conditions
In a desperate attempt to keep premature babies alive amidst dire conditions, the staff at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza have resorted to wrapping infants in foil and placing them next to hot water. Oxygen supplies have officially run out, forcing medical professionals to manually move newborns from incubators to a different section of the hospital. This distressing situation is further exacerbated by severe shortages of water, food, and milk for children and infants.
Recent reports have drawn attention to the critical plight of Al-Shifa hospital, revealing that it is not an isolated case. Al-Quds hospital has also been forced to halt services due to fuel and power shortages. Such alarming circumstances have prompted accusations and denials from both sides of the conflict.
Israel has flatly denied any allegations that it is targeting the hospital, instead claiming that Hamas has deliberately embedded itself within civilian infrastructure. The Israeli military asserts that they have reopened an evacuation corridor, though it remains unclear if anyone has been able to evacuate safely. Meanwhile, the death toll continues to rise, with over 11,000 people killed, including numerous children and women, as a result of Israeli airstrikes.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has condemned both Hamas and Israel for committing possible war crimes. As the violence escalates, the director of the Hamas-controlled health ministry warns that approximately 700 patients will face an imminent risk of death if they are left behind in the hospital.
Calls for a ceasefire have intensified, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has made it clear that he will only consider halting the fighting if Israel’s hostages are released. Amidst this deadlock, a heated dispute has emerged over the allocation of fuel to Al-Shifa hospital. The hospital urgently requests 600 liters of fuel per hour to power its generators, yet Hamas denies any blockage on the hospital receiving fuel, dismissing Israeli fuel deliveries as mere propaganda stunts.
The situation in Al-Shifa hospital paints a grim picture of the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Premature babies and countless other vulnerable patients teeter on the edge of survival as conditions deteriorate rapidly. As the international community grapples with finding a solution, the urgency to bring an end to the violence and ensure the safety and stability of Gaza’s civilians remains paramount.
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