In brief
In a grim turn of events, Dr. Sayeed Joudeh, the last orthopaedic surgeon in northern Gaza, was tragically killed by Israeli tank fire as he was en route to work, according to Palestinian officials. His death on Thursday has raised alarms among the medical community, particularly because the region is already critically low on healthcare services. Dr. Joudeh was serving at both Kamal Adwan and al-Awda hospitals and had recently come out of retirement to provide assistance amid the ongoing conflict.
Eyewitness accounts suggest that he was directly targeted by a tank, although some reports claim he may have been hit by a drone. Despite the Israeli military stating they were unaware of the incident and launching an investigation, humanitarian officials express deep concerns about the implications of his death. Louise Wateridge from the UN aid agency criticized the deteriorating health conditions in Gaza, describing hospitals as practically non-functional: "There’s no sanitation. There are hardly any doctors. There’s no medical equipment. Patients are dying needlessly," she stated, emphasizing the critical needs of the civilian population amid the ongoing siege.The ongoing situation in northern Gaza has continuously worsened due to relentless bombardments, which Israel claims are aimed at Hamas operatives regrouping in the area after the brutal attacks launched on October 7. The aftermath has seen an alarming death toll, with at least 44,875 fatalities, most of whom are civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. As the conflict rages on, public and humanitarian agencies closely monitor the escalating crisis, referring to the conditions in Gaza as apocalyptic.
