Last Hospital in Northern Gaza Out of Service Following Raid
December 28, 2024
Gaza City, Palestine
The Al-Shifa Hospital, the last remaining hospital in northern Gaza, was damaged and put out of service following an Israeli raid overnight. The incident has raised concerns about the critical health situation in Gaza and the well-being of its civilian population.
According to witnesses and local officials, Israeli forces fired several missiles into the hospital compound, causing widespread damage. The attack damaged the hospital’s main operating theater, intensive care unit, and other essential medical departments.
Medical staff at the hospital reported that at least six people were injured in the attack, including two doctors. The injured were evacuated to other hospitals in Gaza City, but their conditions are unknown.
The Al-Shifa Hospital had been providing medical care to thousands of patients in northern Gaza. Its closure has left residents without access to emergency and specialized medical services.
The raid on the hospital has been widely condemned by international organizations and human rights groups. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) called the attack “a grave violation of international law.”
“Attacks on medical facilities are prohibited under international humanitarian law,” said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke. “They deprive people of life-saving medical care and undermine the ability of medical personnel to provide essential services.”
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have not commented on the attack on the hospital. However, they have previously claimed that they only target military objectives and that civilian casualties are unintentional.
The attack on the Al-Shifa Hospital has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which has been under Israeli blockade for over a decade. The blockade has restricted the flow of essential goods and services into Gaza, including medical supplies.
As a result, Gaza’s health system is severely overstretched and underfunded. Hospitals are facing shortages of essential medicines, medical equipment, and qualified medical personnel.
The closure of the Al-Shifa Hospital has left northern Gaza without any functioning hospital. This is a major concern for the population, as it means that patients in need of urgent medical care will have to travel to hospitals in Gaza City, which are already overwhelmed.
International organizations and humanitarian groups are calling for the immediate reopening of the Al-Shifa Hospital and an end to the Israeli blockade. They warn that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating rapidly and that the lives of civilians are at risk.
Last hospital in northern Gaza out of service following raid
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