At Gaza’s largest medical center, Al-Shifa hospital, premature babies are being wrapped in foil and kept warm next to hot water as devastating conditions continue. The hospital’s oxygen supplies ran out, and the newborns had to be moved by hand from their incubators to a different part of the facility.
The hospital staff is desperately fighting to keep the babies alive amidst Israeli airstrikes, dwindling fuel reserves, and a lack of water, food, and infant formula. Conditions are described as “catastrophic” by Dr. Muhammad Abu Salmiya, the hospital director, who reported that several children had died due to the unrelenting bombardment and blockade of Gaza. This situation has also led to the death of thousands and the displacement of thousands of people.
With electricity and power outages affecting the hospital, the World Health Organization has reported that 7,000 displaced people are sheltering there, along with approximately 1,500 patients and medical staff. The hospital’s operating rooms are non-operational, medical supplies are depleting, and the health ministry has declared an urgent need for evacuation.
Amidst all of this, both the Hamas-controlled health ministry and the UN have claimed that war crimes have been committed by both Hamas and Israel. As these calls for a ceasefire grow louder, global leaders and large crowds in various cities are demanding an end to the spiraling civilian death toll in Gaza.
However, despite diplomatic efforts, the ongoing conflict continues to escalate, with the Israeli military estimating that 240 hostages are being held by Hamas, and military operations advancing deeper into Gaza City. Meanwhile, the hospital and its staff remain caught in the crossfire, facing dangerous shortages and blockade restrictions.
