North Gaza’s last two operational hospitals, Al-Awda and Kamal Adwan, are on the brink of collapse, according to reports from doctors and the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday.
The health facilities are struggling as the conflict in Gaza enters its eighth month.
Hospital officials have accused Israeli forces of targeting these medical facilities.
Dr. Mohammad Saleh, the acting director of Al-Awda Hospital, reported that Israeli troops have been firing at the hospital buildings and that snipers have positioned themselves in nearby houses.
He described the situation as dire, with the hospital’s southern wall destroyed and all staff and patients confined within the hospital wards.
The movement within Al-Awda Hospital has become exceedingly difficult.
Despite this, the staff have had to transport water from one building to another after a shell hit the hospital’s first building, destroying the water tanks.
Dr. Saleh emphasized the precarious conditions, stating that the transfer of water has been a critical but challenging task under constant threat.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted the severity of the situation during a press conference in Geneva, revealing that 148 hospital staff, 22 patients, and their companions are trapped inside Al-Awda.
The WHO has been providing medical supplies and fuel to the hospital, but recent escalations have made these efforts increasingly hazardous.
Ghebreyesus reported incidents of sniper fire targeting the building and artillery strikes damaging its upper floors.
In a parallel development, Kamal Adwan Hospital also faced severe threats.
Dr. Hossam Abu Safia, the hospital’s director, confirmed an evacuation was underway due to escalating attacks.
An artillery shell hit the hospital’s emergency entrance, prompting the evacuation of wounded patients, medical staff, and others.
However, Dr. Abu Safia noted that several patients had yet to be evacuated due to the dangerous conditions.
Efforts to get a response from the Israeli military have been unsuccessful.
The situation at these hospitals reflects the broader humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with medical facilities and their staff bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict.
