The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that work had stopped in three hospitals, with the cessation of medical services for children, and the start of the countdown to the closure of additional hospitals.

Ministry of Health spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said in a press conference on Thursday evening: The Israeli occupation increased targeting of health personnel, which led to the martyrdom of 195 health personnel and the destruction of 51 ambulances.

He stated that the Israeli occupation targeted 130 health institutions and put 18 hospitals (out of 35) and 46 health centers out of service due to targeting and running out of fuel.

He said: The Israeli occupation targeted Al-Shifa Medical Complex and Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital with artillery shells, wounding 7 displaced people with various injuries.

He stressed that the Israeli violations against the health system are a flagrant violation of Security Council Resolution No. 2268 of 2016, which stipulates the necessity of respecting medical workers and not directing attacks against hospitals and health facilities.

Health status

He reviewed the difficult health reality 34 days after the aggression, and said: We launched multiple distress calls that reached all corners of the earth and all parties, but without a response, which led to the exhaustion of fuel in several new hospitals in Gaza and northern Gaza.

He announced the cessation of services at the only government eye hospital in the Gaza Strip as a result of running out of fuel, which will pose great risks to patients

He also announced that the only mental health hospital in the Gaza Strip had stopped working and was out of service as a result of running out of fuel, which would have serious repercussions on psychiatric patients and society.

He confirmed that all medical services for children at Al-Rantisi Specialized Hospital for Children and Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital had been stopped, and that intensive care and nursery operations were to continue by operating only a small generator.

It was announced that the last medical line for children’s services in Gaza and North Gaza had fallen after the cessation of services at Al-Rantisi Specialized Hospital and Al-Nasr Children’s Hospital, and before that, Al-Durrah Children’s Hospital.

He warned that the cessation of children's hospitals deprives sick children of dialysis sessions, oncology treatments, heart services, chest diseases, treatment of convulsions, and internal services, and this will have serious repercussions on the lives of children.

He said: Now Al-Nasr children are being directly bombed again, and there are a number of wounded who may be martyrs, but ambulances are unable to arrive until this moment due to the intense targeting.

He also announced the cessation of work at Al-Awda Hospital, affiliated with Al-Awda Health and Community Association, with the start of the countdown to the cessation of services at the Indonesian Hospital and Kamal Adoun Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip, and their exit from service after only 24 hours due to the lack of fuel.

He announced the start of the countdown to the cessation of sensitive services and the exit of Al-Shifa Medical Complex from service after only 36 hours.

He stressed that the cessation and out-of-service of hospitals in Gaza and the northern Gaza Strip means the tragic death of thousands of wounded and sick people, especially in sensitive departments, as a result of the lack of fuel entry.

He pointed out that the Israeli occupation uses the weapon of starvation against thousands of patients, wounded, medical staff, and displaced people in hospitals, which is considered a full-fledged war crime.

He said: 900,000 residents of Gaza and northern Gaza, including the wounded, the sick, medical staff, and the displaced, have become without shelter, without food, without drink, without medicine, and without protection.

He pointed out that they were able to evacuate 99 wounded people and 73 companions through the Rafah land crossing only since the beginning of this month, and we evacuated part of them without securing safe passage for them.

He stressed that the process of evacuating the wounded for treatment outside the Gaza Strip is proceeding very slowly and disproportionately with the large number of serious cases that must be released urgently and in a safe manner before they lose their lives while waiting.

He pointed out that UN institutions seem to be dependent on Israeli decisions, and until now they have not found mechanisms to carry out their humanitarian mission to prevent the catastrophe to which the residents of the Gaza Strip are exposed.

He accused UNRWA of turning its back on the residents of Gaza and North Gaza, disrupting all health services, leaving children without vaccination, leaving pregnant women without follow-up, and leaving those with chronic diseases to face their fate without any interventions.

He said: In light of the ongoing threat to the health system, we call on the United Nations to activate international resolutions and agreements related to the protection of medical institutions, health service providers, and legal frameworks to protect civilians.

He also called on all parties to work immediately to provide a safe humanitarian corridor for the entry of medical supplies, fuel, and medical personnel, and for the urgent exit of thousands of wounded.