The death toll in Gaza continues to rise as the Israeli military’s aerial bombardment enters its sixth day, with the Palestinian death toll increasing daily. The morgue at Shifa Hospital is overflowing with bodies, with some being stacked three high outside the coolers and dozens more laid out in the hospital car park. The Gaza healthcare system is overwhelmed, with more than 6,000 injuries and dwindling supplies.
The situation is critical, with ambulances unable to reach the wounded and dead, and hospitals running out of supplies. The Israeli military claims to be targeting Hamas militant infrastructure, but Palestinians reject this, saying that civilian casualties are unavoidable. The assault has leveled entire neighborhoods, killing over 1,400 people, with more than 60% of them women and children. Over 340,000 have been displaced, or 15% of Gaza’s population.
The hospital’s intensive care unit is full, and some of the wounded are being treated in corridors, with others forced to stay on the streets. The situation is further complicated by Israel’s decision to stop water flow from its national water company and block electricity, food, and fuel supplies from entering the territory. The Gaza power plant has run out of fuel, and hospitals are desperately trying to save whatever diesel remains in their backup generators.
The Gaza power plant
Shifa’s director has warned that when the last of the hospital’s fuel runs out in three or four days, a disaster will occur within five minutes, with oxygen equipment for infants failing and the inability to refrigerate the dead. The international community is calling for an end to the hostilities and for humanitarian aid to be sent to the besieged territory. As the death toll continues to rise, the need for urgent medical assistance and supplies to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza has never been more pressing.
With the situation becoming increasingly dire, the international community must take immediate action to provide humanitarian aid and pressure Israel to stop its aerial bombardment. The people of Gaza are facing a critical situation, and the need for medical assistance and supplies to alleviate their suffering is more pressing than ever.
