Palestinians injured in Israeli attacks arrived at the Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday.
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Palestinians injured in Israeli attacks arrived at the Nasser Medical Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday.
Ahmed Hassabala/Getty Images
TEL AVIV, Israel — Gaza’s largest hospital reported that it had buried more than 100 people in mass graves, saying bodies were rotting in yards and babies died when incubators lost power.
Conditions at Shifa Hospital and other medical facilities in Gaza are deteriorating to unimaginable new levels, according to local health officials and humanitarian organizations.
MSF has a medical team in Shifa, Gaza City.
“Our staff said there was no power,” Paul said “They were unable to transfer any patients to ambulances because snipers were firing near the windows and people were left in the corridors,” said Carney, the organization’s emergency coordinator.
Generators at hospitals such as Shifa Hospital and Al-Quds Hospital in northern Gaza have run out of fuel. No longer functioning as a medical facilityThe United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Tuesday that “all but one hospital has ceased operations.” There are 35 hospitals in the Gaza corridor run by Hamas.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 11,200 Palestinians have died in Gaza. Official reports said the death toll was rising as Israel continued its siege of the area in response to an October 7 attack by the militant group Hamas. However, health officials said updating statistics was challenging for the third day in a row due to disruptions in services and communications.
About 1,200 Israelis died In a series of attacks launched by Hamas more than a month ago
Without fuel, Gaza hospitals’ youngest patients are suffering the most.
On Saturday, the Shifa ran out of fuel. Gaza health officials said three premature babies have since died.
The Health Ministry also reported on Tuesday that the bodies of 170 Palestinians were buried in mass graves in hospital courtyards as a result of the ongoing siege.
Ongoing fighting also means other injured patients and displaced Palestinians, fearful of being evacuated to the south, are forced to flock to hospitals in the north to seek refuge.
People mourn as they collect the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday.
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People mourn as they collect the bodies of Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Tuesday.
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Israel said it was focusing on some hospitals in Gaza because it said Hamas was operating inside military facilities beneath them, a charge Hamas denies.
On Monday, the Israeli military released a video showing what it said was a Hamas tunnel beneath Rantisi Hospital. Israeli military officials said they found weapons under the hospital, which they said was evidence of Hamas activity there.
NPR could not independently confirm those details, but Hamas denies using the hospital as a military headquarters.
Gaza health officials said the basement “is included in the design of the hospital, including administration and hospital stores. It has become a shelter for displaced people fleeing the explosion to find shelter inside the hospital.”
Jaclyn Diaz and Greg Myre reported from Tel Aviv. Ruth Sherlock reported from Rome. Aya Batrawy reported from Cairo.