Palestinian health officials called on Wednesday for a humanitarian corridor to three hospitals in northern Gaza that have come close to collapse as Israeli troops have cut off the area during almost two weeks of heavy fighting against Hamas.
Doctors at the Kamal Adwan, Al-Awda and the Indonesian hospitals have refused to leave their patients despite evacuation orders issued by the Israeli military at the start of a major push into the Jabalia area of northern Gaza 12 days ago.
“We are calling on the international community, the Red Cross and the World Health Organization to play their humanitarian role by opening up a corridor towards our healthcare system,” said Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital.
“We are talking about more than 300 medical staff working at Kamal Adwan Hospital, and we can’t provide even a single meal for them to be able to offer medical services safely.”
Jabalia, home to one of Gaza’s eight historic refugee camps, was cleared early in the war by Israeli troops pushing through northern Gaza but Palestinian militant Hamas fighters have re-established themselves in the area.
Palestinian health officials said the new Israeli offensive has killed around 350 Palestinians in Jabalia and nearby areas. In Gaza City on Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike on a house killed 13 people, medics said. In its daily update, the Gaza health ministry said Israeli military strikes had killed 65 Palestinians across the enclave in the past 24 hours.
The dire humanitarian situation has prompted worldwide alarm, with the United States, Israel’s biggest military backer, issuing one of its strongest warnings that Israel must improve the situation or face potential restrictions on military aid. (Reuters)