Doctors at one of Gaza City's last functioning hospitals report they are overwhelmed with casualties from Israeli strikes and are forced to carry out operations in filthy conditions, often without anaesthetics. An Australian medic at al-Shifa hospital described each day as a mass casualty event, detailing a tragic incident where a baby was saved from the body of a deceased pregnant woman.
Israeli forces are now advancing within 500 meters of the hospital as their ground offensive aims to fully occupy Gaza City, which they label Hamas's main stronghold. Witnesses report tanks moving into the city from various directions.
Intense air and artillery strikes, along with drone attacks, are displacing tens of thousands of Palestinians daily. The Israeli military claims the offensive seeks to dismantle Hamas and ensure the return of hostages held for over 23 months amidst ongoing warfare.
Inside al-Shifa, once the largest medical complex in the Gaza Strip, conditions are dire. Many beds lack mattresses, and supplies of medication are severely limited. Dr. Nada Abu Alrub, an emergency specialist, described a hellish environment with cases requiring surgical intervention without adequate anaesthesia, labelling the situation as a nightmare.
In one instance, medics performed an emergency Caesarean on a nine-month pregnant woman whose head had been blown off, successfully delivering her daughter. Another physician recounted the agonizing wait for treatment faced by young patients, emphasizing the overwhelming number of urgent cases resulting in desperate decisions between life and limb.
As the Israeli military advances closer to al-Shifa, it has significantly affected the logistics of care, with critical facilities reporting damage from nearby conflict. With over 65,000 people killed since the onset of the conflict in October 2023, the humanitarian impact continues to expand.
