By WAFAA SHURAFA and KAREEM CHEHAYEB (Associated Press)
A team of international doctors went to a hospital in central Gaza and were expecting the worst. However, they were still shocked by the terrible effects of Israel's war on Palestinian children.
A young child died from a brain injury caused by an Israeli attack that fractured his skull. His cousin, a baby, is still fighting for her life with part of her face blown off by the same attack.
A 10-year-old boy who was not related screamed in pain for his parents, unaware that they had died in the attack. His sister was beside him, but he couldn't recognize her because burns covered almost her entire body.
These heart-breaking casualties were described to The Associated Press by Tanya Haj-Hassan, a doctor who specializes in pediatric intensive care from Jordan, after a 10-hour overnight shift at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the town of Deir al-Balah.
Haj-Hassan, who has a lot of experience in Gaza and often speaks out about the terrible effects of the war, was part of a team that recently completed a two-week period there.
After nearly six months of war, Gaza’s health sector has been greatly damaged. About twelve of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are only partially operating. The rest have either shut down or are barely operating after they ran out of fuel and medicine, were surrounded and raided by Israeli troops, or were damaged in fighting. That means hospitals like Al-Aqsa Martyrs are dealing with a very high number of patients but have limited supplies and staff. Most of its intensive care unit beds are occupied by children, including infants wrapped in bandages and wearing oxygen masks.“I spend most of my time here resuscitating children,” Haj-Hassan said after a recent shift. “What does that tell you about every other hospital in the Gaza Strip?”
Another group of international doctors working at Al-Aqsa Martyrs in January stayed at a nearby guesthouse. But because of a recent surge of Israeli Israel strikes nearby, Haj-Hassan and her co-workers stayed in the hospital itself.
This allowed them to get a very clear look at the pressure the hospital is under as the number of patients keeps increasing, said Arvind Das, the team leader in Gaza for the International Rescue Committee. His organization and Medical Aid for Palestinians organized the visit by Haj-Hassan and others.
Mustafa Abu Qassim, a nurse from Jordan who was part of the visiting team, said he was shocked by the overcrowding.
Before the war, the hospital had a capacity of around 160 beds, according to the World Health Organization. Now there are some 800 patients, yet many of the hospital’s 120 staff members are no longer able to come to work.
Health care workers face the same daily struggle as others in Gaza in finding food for their families and trying to ensure some safety for them. Many bring their children with them to the hospital to keep them close, Abu Qassim said.
He said it's very unpleasant.
Thousands of people forced to leave their homes because of the war are also living in the hospital area, hoping it will be safe. Hospitals have special protections under international law, but those protections can be taken away if fighters use them for military purposes.
specific protections under global law, although those protections can be removed if combatants utilize them for military reasons. Israel has claimed that hospitals are used as command centers, weapons storage facilities, and hideouts for Hamas, but has provided little visual evidence. Hamas has denied the allegations. Israel has been carrying out a large-scale operation in Gaza’s largest hospital for the past week. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada, and the European Union.
Israeli soldiers have not raided or besieged Al-Aqsa Martyrs but have attacked surrounding areas, sometimes striking close to the hospital.
Shelters hog given as command centers, places to keep weapons and hideouts for Hamas, but has given little visual evidence. Hamas has denied the allegations. Israel has been carrying out a large-scale operation in Gaza's largest hospital, for the past week. Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Union. Israel’s attack on Gaza and offensive have killed more than 32,000 Palestinians and injured almost 75,000 more in the territory of 2.3 million people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The count does not distinguish between fighters and civilians, but the ministry says about two-thirds of those killed have been women and children. Israeli soldiers have not stormed or besieged Al-Aqsa Martyrs but have attacked nearby areas, sometimes hitting close to the hospital.
gunned down surrounding areas, occasionally hitting near the hospital. In January, many doctors, patients and displaced Palestinians fled the hospital after a flurry of strikes. . In January, many doctors, patients, and displaced Palestinians fled the hospital after a flurry of strikes.Israel’s bombing and attack on Gaza have killed more than 32,000 Palestinians and wounded nearly 75,000 others in the territory of 2.3 million people, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. ShifaGaza’s Health Ministry reports that Israel’s bombardment and offensive have killed over 32,000 Palestinians and injured nearly 75,000 more in the 2.3 million people territory. The count does not differentiate between fighters and civilians, but about two-thirds of those killed have been women and children.
Israel accuses Hamas of being responsible for civilians’ deaths and injuries because the fighters in Gaza operate from within civilian areas. It says over one-third of the dead are Hamas members, but it has not supported the claim with evidence. Approximately half of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are 17 or younger, according to the U.N.’s agency for children.Israel blames Hamas for non-combatants’ deaths and injuries because the fighters in Gaza operate from within civilian areas. It claims that over one-third of the dead are members of Hamas, although it has not proven the claim with evidence.
The war began on Oct. 7 when Hamas and other terrorists attacked southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking around 250 hostages. The Israeli government believes about 100 hostages being held in Gaza are still alive. At the beginning of the war, Israel severely restricted the entry of food, fuel, and medical supplies into Gaza.movement of food, fuel, and medical supplies into Gaza
. Although the flow of aid has increased, and Israel says there are no longer any restrictions, the international community has urged Israel to allow more aid in.
Aid groups say complicated inspection procedures at the border, ongoing fighting, and a breakdown in public order have caused massive delays in convoys.
Aid organizations say complex checking procedures at the border have caused significant delays in convoys.
Aid groups say complicated inspection procedures at the border, continued fighting, and a breakdown in public order have caused massive slowdowns in convoys. As a result, hospital staff struggle to deal with a shortage of spare parts to maintain medical equipment. Al-Aqsa Martyrs has also been short on anesthetics, meaning surgeries and other procedures are frequently performed without painkillers.Haj-Hassan says there's only one way to end Gaza’s health care crisis.
He says that the war needs to stop. Chehayeb reported from Beirut.Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
For more of AP's war reporting, visit https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war.
Tanya Haj-Hassan, a pediatric intensive care doctor from Jordan, described heartbreaking casualties to The Associated Press.
“They need the war to stop,” she said.
Chehayeb reported from Beirut.
Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
