Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) calls for protection of civilians and healthcare in Gaza as hospital overwhelmed amid increased Israeli military attacks.
The Israeli army has intensified its attacks across Gaza’s Middle Area in the last few days, including in Deir al-Balah and Bureij refugee camp. Many of the one million people who have been forced to flee Rafah, including MAP’s own staff, are now sheltering in the Middle Area.
Overnight, while Palestinians were sleeping, the Israeli military attacked an UNRWA school sheltering displaced people in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. At least 40 Palestinians were killed, including 14 children, and dozens were injured.
The main hospital in the central area, Al-Aqsa, is now overwhelmed and unable to cope with the influx of injuries. Yesterday, over 300 patients were admitted for urgent treatment.
MAP’s Gaza Director, Fikr Shalltoot, has said, “Attacks on displaced Palestinians are escalating every day and hospitals across Gaza are on the brink of collapse. At Al-Aqsa hospital there are not enough operating theatres, beds or equipment to deal with the influx of patients.
“We have no more words to describe what is happening in Gaza. There is no safe place for anyone, including our team on the ground who continue to try their best to provide medical and humanitarian aid to their communities.”
She stressed that, “This is yet another horrific attack on civilians during a war that UN human rights experts and the ICJ have concluded may amount to genocide. The UK must immediately end arms transfers to Israel that may be used in further atrocities”.
The Ministry of Health has reported that there is only one generator providing limited power to the entire hospital. Last week, a doctor at Al-Aqsa told MAP that the hospital ran out of fuel and couldn’t provide any services for a limited time. Its staff have called on the international community to intervene and help save people from “certain death”.
Al-Aqsa Hospital is just one of 16 hospitals partially functioning across the whole of Gaza. There are no hospitals currently operating in Rafah and since 12 May there have been no medical evacuations of patients out of Gaza. This is despite a lack of adequate medical facilities and aid access. Around 1.1 million Palestinians in Gaza are at risk of starvation and at least 31 patients have died of malnutrition so far according to the WHO.
ENDS
For more information or interviews please respond to this email or contact press@map.org.uk
Tessa Pope
Media and Communications Officer
Medical Aid for Palestinians
E: tessa.pope@map-uk.org
P: +44 7444 589 241