The scenario in northern Gaza’s sole remaining medical facility is ‘catastrophic’, the Well being Ministry says.
Israeli tanks have surrounded northern Gaza’s Indonesian Hospital after artillery hearth killed at the least 12 Palestinians within the advanced, in keeping with the war-torn enclave’s Ministry of Well being.
Ashraf al-Qudra, Gaza’s Well being Ministry spokesperson, advised Al Jazeera on Monday that “the scenario is catastrophic” within the Indonesian Hospital, the place tons of of individuals stay trapped.
“The Indonesian Hospital workers are insisting they may keep to deal with the wounded. There are about 700 individuals, together with medical workers and injured individuals, contained in the hospital,” he stated.
The Israeli navy, which not often publicises troop actions, had no instant remark.
The Palestinian information company Wafa stated the ability within the northeast Gaza city of Beit Lahiya had been hit by artillery hearth. Palestinian well being officers stated there have been frantic efforts to evacuate civilians out of hurt’s approach.
Hospital workers denied there have been any armed militants on the premises.
Indonesia’s International Minister Retno Marsudi condemned Israel’s actions and urged Tel Aviv’s companions to “cease its atrocities”.
“The assault is a transparent violation of worldwide humanitarian legal guidelines. All international locations, particularly those who have shut relations with Israel, should use all their affect and capabilities to induce Israel to cease its atrocities,” she stated in a press release.
The advance on the ability, arrange in 2016 with funding from Indonesian organisations, got here a day after the World Well being Group evacuated 31 untimely infants from al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza Metropolis.
They have been amongst greater than 250 critically ailing or wounded sufferers stranded there since Israeli forces entered the compound.
The territory’s largest well being facility is being evacuated at gunpoint after being beneath siege for a number of days with 7,000 individuals inside.
The United Nations humanitarian company OCHA has reported the “collapse of companies” at hospitals throughout northern Gaza following widespread air strikes and the shortage of gas and medical provides.
The Israeli navy claims Hamas, the group that guidelines Gaza, has constructed underground infrastructure under hospitals for navy utilization, which Hamas and medical officers deny.
Marwan Abdallah, a medical employee on the Indonesian Hospital, stated Israeli tanks have been seen from the home windows.
“You’ll be able to see them transferring round and firing,” he stated. “Girls and youngsters are terrified. There are fixed sounds of explosions and gunfire.”
Abdallah stated the hospital had obtained dozens of lifeless and wounded in air raids and shelling in a single day.
Israel launched its offensive in opposition to Gaza after a wave of cross-border raids by Hamas on October 7 killed greater than 1,200 individuals, the vast majority of them civilians, in keeping with Israeli authorities.
The Hamas-run authorities says the dying toll from Israel’s aerial bombardment and floor operations within the Palestinian territory has reached 13,000, 1000’s of them kids.