Health authorities reported that 31 premature babies in “extremely critical condition” were safely transferred on Sunday from Gaza’s main hospital and will go to Egypt, while more than 250 patients with severely infected wounds and other urgent conditions They remained stranded days after Israeli forces entered the compound in search of Hamas operations.
The plight of the babies, together with the Israeli complaints against the Al Shifa hospital, have become powerful symbols of the devastating war between Israel and Hamas. The Israeli offensive has claimed a high number of victims among the Palestinian civilian population, while Israel has accused Hamas of using Al Shifa and other hospitals as military operations headquarters.
Newborns at the hospital, where electricity was cut and supplies ran out as Israeli forces fought Palestinian militants outside, were receiving urgent care in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza. They had dehydration, hypothermia and sepsis in some cases, said Mohamed Zaqout, director of Gaza hospitals. Four other babies died in the two days before the evacuation, he said.
A World Health Organization (WHO) team that visited Shifa said the Most of the remaining patients had amputations, burns or other trauma. Plans were being made to evacuate them in the coming days.
After the attack on Al Shifa, Israeli attacks have targeted the Indonesian Hospital. At least 12 people, including wounded and medical personnel, died today in direct attacks by the Israeli Army on the Indonesian Hospital, located near Jabaliain the north of the Gaza Strip. A projectile hit the second floor from the hospital, according to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry.