Gaza’s Al Shifa hospital has tanks at its gates

JERUSALEM/
GAZA:

Israeli tanks took up positions on the gates of Gaza Metropolis’s major hospital on Monday, the first goal of their battle to grab management of the northern half of the Gaza Strip, the place medics mentioned sufferers together with newborns had been dying for lack of gasoline.

Gaza well being ministry spokesperson Ashraf Al-Qidra, who was inside Al Shifa hospital, mentioned 32 sufferers had died up to now three days, together with three new child infants, on account of the siege of the hospital and lack of energy.

A minimum of 650 sufferers had been nonetheless inside, determined to be evacuated to a different medical facility by the Crimson Cross or another impartial company. Israel says the hospital sits atop tunnels housing a headquarters for Hamas fighters utilizing sufferers as shields, which Hamas denies.

“The tanks are in entrance of the hospital. We’re beneath full blockade. It’s a very civilian space. Solely hospital facility, hospital sufferers, docs and different civilians staying within the hospital. Somebody ought to cease this,” a surgeon on the hospital, Dr Ahmed El Mokhallalati, mentioned by phone.

“They bombed the (water) tanks, they bombed the water wells, they bombed the oxygen pump as nicely. They bombed every little thing within the hospital. So we’re hardly surviving. We inform everybody, the hospital isn’t any extra a secure place for treating sufferers. We’re harming sufferers by protecting them right here.”

There was additionally contemporary concern that the conflict may unfold past Gaza, with an upsurge of clashes on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, and the USA launching air strikes on Iran-linked militia targets in neighbouring Syria.

Smoke and flames rise as seen from Israel-Lebanon border in northern Israel, November 13, 2023. PHOTO: REUTERS

King Abdullah in neighbouring Jordan was quoted by state media on Monday as saying the basis reason behind the disaster was Israel’s denial of Palestinians’ “reputable rights” and that there may very well be no army answer.

Israel launched its marketing campaign final month to annihilate Hamas, the group which runs the Gaza Strip, after Hamas fighters rampaged by southern Israel killing civilians. Round 1,200 individuals died and 240 had been dragged to Gaza as hostages based on Israel’s tally, within the deadliest day in its 75-year historical past.

Since then hundreds of Gazans have been killed and two thirds of the inhabitants made homeless by a relentless Israeli army marketing campaign. Israel has ordered the full evacuation of the northern half of Gaza. Gaza medical authorities say greater than 11,000 individuals have been confirmed killed, round 40% of them kids.

Since Israeli floor forces entered Gaza in late October and shortly surrounded Gaza Metropolis, preventing has been concentrated in a tightening circle round Al Shifa, the enclave’s greatest hospital.

Gaza well being ministry spokesperson Qidra mentioned an Israel tank was now stationed on the hospital gate. Israeli snipers and drones had been firing into the hospital, making it unattainable for medics and sufferers to maneuver round.

“We’re besieged and are inside a circle of loss of life,” he mentioned.

Israel has instructed civilians to go away and medics to ship sufferers elsewhere. It says it has tried to evacuate infants from the neo-natal ward and left 300 litres of gasoline to energy emergency mills on the hospital entrance, however the presents had been blocked by Hamas.

Qidra mentioned the 300 litres would energy the hospital for simply half an hour, and Shifa wanted 8,000-10,000 litres of gasoline per day delivered by the Crimson Cross or a global company. An Israeli official who requested anonymity mentioned 300 litres may final a number of hours as a result of solely the emergency room was operating.

Dr El Mokhallalati, the surgeon, mentioned untimely infants that will usually be in particular person incubators had been being lined up eight to a mattress, saved heat with no matter energy was left.

After three died there have been 36 alive within the neo-natal unit, he mentioned. “We predict to lose extra of them day-to-day.”

Gunbattle at second hospital

Israeli army autos throughout the ongoing floor operation of the Israeli military within the Gaza Strip, picture launched on November 13. PHOTO: REUTERS

Preventing additionally came about at a second main hospital in northern Gaza, al-Quds, which has additionally stopped functioning. The Palestinian Crimson Crescent mentioned the hospital was surrounded by heavy gunfire, and a convoy despatched to evacuate sufferers and employees had been unable to succeed in it.

Israel mentioned it had killed “roughly 21 terrorists” at al-Quds in return fireplace after fighters shot from the hospital entrance. It launched footage purporting to point out a gaggle of males on the hospital gate, one in all whom gave the impression to be carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

UN businesses noticed a minute’s silence on Monday for 101 employees members killed thus far in Gaza.

UN company UNRWA is now housing round 800,000 individuals in Gaza, or half of these made homeless by the preventing. It mentioned on Monday its emergency gasoline depot for the enclave had lastly run dry and it might quickly be unable to run ambulances, resupply hospitals, present consuming water or pump sewage.

The greater than month-long battle has polarised the world, with many nations saying that even the stunning brutality of the Hamas assaults didn’t justify an Israeli response that has killed so many civilians.

Learn additionally: UN observes minute’s silence for 101 employees killed in Gaza

Israel says it should destroy Hamas, and the blame for hurt to civilians falls on fighters hiding amongst them. It has rejected calls for for a ceasefire, which it says would solely lengthen the struggling by letting Hamas regroup. Washington backs that place although it says it’s urgent its ally to guard civilians.

A whole lot of hundreds of residents are believed to stay within the northern a part of Gaza, regardless of Israel’s order to go away. Israel has additionally commonly bombed the south.

The battle has raised fears of a broader conflagration. Lebanon-based Hezbollah, which like Hamas is backed by Iran, has traded missile assaults with Israel.

US and worldwide forces primarily based in northeastern Syria had been focused no less than 4 occasions in lower than 24 hours with drones and rockets, a US army official mentioned on Monday, including there had been no casualties.