Hospitals in Gaza: Near to the Abyss

May 13, 2024 Hour: 12:35 pm

On Monday, the territory’s health authorities warned that they are only hours away from a total collapse of the health system in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli attacks and the closure of the border.

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A terse statement highlighted the fuel crisis due to the blockade, especially over the Rafah crossing, which for the past seven months has been the only entry point for vital goods to the coastal enclave.

The Israeli army closed the Kerem Shalom crossing on the tri-border nine days ago and hours later occupied the Palestinian side of the nearby Rafah crossing as part of its military operations against the town of the same name.

According to the Palestinian authorities, no aid has been entering the territory through this area since then, despite the fact that trucks are loaded with vital goods on the Egyptian side.

BREAKING | The Ministry of Health in Gaza:

“We are only a few hours away from the collapse of the health system in the Gaza Strip due to the lack of necessary fuel necessary to operate electricity generators in hospitals and ambulance vehicles.” pic.twitter.com/Erm8iX5vAu

— Quds News Network (@QudsNen)
May 13, 2024

Last week the executive director of the UN Children’s Fund, Catherine Russell, warned that the intensification of Israeli military operations in southern Gaza and the resulting closure of the Rafah crossing threaten the lives of millions of Palestinians, especially children.

“If the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings are not reopened to deliver fuel and humanitarian supplies, the consequences will be felt almost immediately,” she warned.

She stressed the importance of fuel entering the territory to move life-saving supplies such as medicines, malnutrition treatment, tents and water pipes.

It is also vital for transporting staff serving children and families in need, he said.

Other institutions such as the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East issued similar appeals.

This weekend, the Palestinian Non-Governmental Organization Network urged the authorities to declare the Strip a disaster zone.