GAZA’S LARGEST HOSPITAL LEFT IN RUINS AFTER BRUTAL FIGHTING
GAZA — The aftermath of six months of intense fighting between Israeli forces and Palestinian militants has left Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa Hospital, destroyed and out of operation, making access to healthcare “totally inadequate,” according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Following a WHO-led multi-agency mission on April 5, it was determined that the hospital in northern Gaza had been extensively damaged during the Israeli offensive aimed at targeting militant forces allegedly operating within its walls.
The mission, conducted in collaboration with the acting hospital director, revealed that the hospital is now an empty shell with no patients and most buildings destroyed or damaged beyond repair.
Access to life-saving healthcare in Gaza has been severely diminished with Al-Shifa Hospital now non-functional, requiring substantial efforts to clear the grounds for safety and accessibility.
The emergency department, surgical, and maternity ward buildings have been destroyed, along with crucial equipment like incubators and the oxygen plant.
Shallow graves outside the hospital compound and bodies left partially covered in the heat have added to the devastation, highlighting the urgent need for humanitarian aid and proper medical care in the region.
The lack of access to care and essential medical supplies has already led to the death of at least 20 patients, with ongoing delays and obstacles hindering the delivery of aid to those in need.
As WHO marks World Health Day, the agency emphasizes the dire situation in Gaza where access to healthcare is severely limited, and the health system is on the brink of collapse.
With only a few hospitals still functional, any further military incursions could have catastrophic consequences for the civilian population, underscoring the urgent need for an end to the destruction of healthcare facilities and the opening of additional land crossings for aid delivery. — UN News
