Relatives grieving for the victims who died when the tent they were sheltering in was struck by Israeli bombardment, at the morgue of the Nasser medical center in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Jan. 4.
Relatives mourning the loss of people killed when the tent they were sheltering in was hit by Israeli bombardment, at the morgue of the Nasser medical center in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Jan. 4.
TEL AVIV, Israel — Doctors Without Borders has stated that the largest functioning medical facility in the Gaza Strip, Nasser Hospital, is no longer able to provide critical medical care. According to the nonprofit medical organization’s statement on Friday, there are limited options for those in need of care in Khan Younis. The Israeli army announced on Tuesday that it had surrounded Khan Younis, the second largest city in Gaza, and was engaged in combat with Hamas fighters. Israel escalated the conflict this week and ordered the evacuation of residents in certain neighborhoods, including the hospital.
Nasser Hospital is one of the primary medical facilities in operation in Khan Younis. On Wednesday, Gaza’s health ministry reported that due to the ongoing bombardment, no one could enter or leave the hospital.
The hospital was also providing shelter to thousands of displaced Palestinians who had fled from conflict in other parts of Gaza. Doctors Without Borders, also known by its French acronym MSF, reported that many people, including most of the hospital staff, fled during the evacuation order. It mentioned that around 350 patients are trapped inside the hospital and are unable to leave due to the dangerous situation outside.
“These deliberate attacks on healthcare are intolerable and must cease immediately to allow the injured to receive the necessary treatment,” stated Guillemette Thomas, MSF’s medical coordinator for Gaza and the West Bank. MSF described the doctors within the hospital as feeling helpless and recounted the dire conditions, including a shortage of beds and other essential supplies. According to MSF, one doctor reported that they were wringing out blood from gauze and sterilizing it for reuse.
Israel continues to escalate its offensive in Gaza in response to the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 1,200 people and the capture of around 250 others. According to Israel, approximately 130 individuals are still being held captive in Gaza. Gaza’s health ministry has reported that the number of Palestinians killed has exceeded 25,000.
