Israeli bombing of Al-Aqsa Hospital backyard prompts MSF evacuation
3 Min Read
The head of the Doctors Without Borders mission in occupied Palestine's al-Quds, Stefan Goriely, speaks to Al Mayadeen about the situation at Al-Aqsa Hospital.
-
Palestinians wounded in the Israeli occupation bombardment of the Gaza Strip are brought to Al Aqsa hospital in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024. (AP)
The head of the Doctors Without Borders mission in occupied Palestine's al-Quds, Stefan Goriely, told Al Mayadeen that the mission decided to evacuate its staff from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, due to the gravity of the situation which leaves the organization incapable of guaranteeing their security.
The Israeli occupation's bombardment has reached the backyard of Al-Aqsa Hospital, which, according to Goriely, became "the only hospital operating in the Central Governorate."
On her part, Gemma Connell, a spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told the BBC that the withdrawal of aid groups from Al-Aqsa Hospital has spread panic while the International Rescue Committee (IRC) noted that leaflets dropped by the IOF have designated the areas surrounding the hospital as "red zone".
Connel reiterated what Goreily had formerly stressed that Al-Aqsa became "the single remaining hospital in the middle area of Gaza" where a "major offensive is underway."
Moreover, Connel highlighted that the current situation at the hospital remains dire as "just a single doctor" continues "working in the emergency room" with "only two surgeons left responding to hundreds of needs in that hospital."
Connel added, "You have so many casualties coming in every single hour who are in desperate need of life-saving support."
WHO has no data on over 600 evacuated Al-Aqsa patients, staff in Gaza
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the World Health Organization (WHO) lacks information regarding the location of medical personnel and more than 600 evacuated patients from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
"[The WHO] has received troubling reports of increasing hostilities and ongoing evacuation orders near the vital Al-Aqsa Hospital in central Gaza, which according to the facility's director forced over 600 patients and most health workers to leave. Their locations are not currently known," Tedros said on X on Sunday.
.@WHO has received troubling reports of increasing hostilities and ongoing evacuation orders near the vital Al-Aqsa Hospital in the Middle Area of #Gaza, which according to the facility’s director forced over 600 patients and most health workers to leave. Their locations are not… pic.twitter.com/Vzd9UWThNm
— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) January 7, 2024
The head of WHO also mentioned that the United Nations' health agency had to cancel another mission in the northern Gaza Strip due to hazardous conditions and the absence of required permissions. He added that there are no fully operational medical facilities in the northern enclave.
read more: Day 94: 23,000+ Palestinians martyred, 58,926 injured
