Two Babies Succumb, Dozens Evacuated from Al-Shifa: Gaza’s Health Ministry
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – The Gaza Health Ministry reported the evacuation of 30 premature babies from the enclave's largest hospital, but two of them died before being transferred and moved, according to the Associated Press.
Medhat Abbas, a spokesman for the ministry, confirmed the evacuation earlier in the day.
After 40 days of relentless attacks that took place on the Gaza strip…the premature babies have now been taken to hospitals in the southern part of the strip. Ambulances were sent to carry the 31 babies to the southern hospitals – European hospital and the Nasser hospital. The transfer of babies also comes amid hospitals in the south reaching their maximum capacity. Incubators are still needed even in these hospitals.
So even the situation in the south for those babies is critical as Israeli bombardment continues.
Al-Shifa Hospital faced tumult on Saturday as Israeli forces ordered doctors, patients, and displaced individuals to evacuate the medical compound, with some forced to leave by gunpoint, according to accounts from doctors and Palestinian officials.
Tamer Qarmout, an assistant professor of public policy at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, shared insights on the situation in Al-Shifa and across Gaza during an interview with Al Jazeera.
"Israel's actions in Gaza appear unchecked, facilitated by the implicit support of major powers, notably the US and its Western allies. The current situation in Gaza is unfortunately predictable," Qarmout commented.
Yesterday, Israeli military forces medical personnel, patients, and displaced individuals to vacate Al-Shifa Hospital, urging them to head south.
The majority of evacuees journeyed south on foot, a challenging task as many of the wounded lacked mobility and required assistance.
Inside Al-Shifa Hospital, there are still medical personnel attending to 291 patients, including infants. The World Health Organization (WHO) labeled the situation as catastrophic and announced readiness to facilitate their transfer to the European hospital and other facilities in the south.
Despite the strained conditions in southern hospitals, they are attempting to accommodate the influx of evacuees from Al-Shifa.
Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, speaking alongside EU foreign policy chief Josep Borell in Doha, condemned Israel's actions and the siege on Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza as a "crime."
"Israel's disregard for international laws and conventions is evident in its actions," he asserted during a press conference.
