Israel offers to evacuate babies from Gaza hospital amid ongoing attack
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Tel Aviv: Israel's military has expressed readiness to evacuate infants from Gaza's largest hospital, Al-Shifa, amid the intense fighting.
However, Palestinian officials report that people inside the hospital are still trapped, with two newborns already deceased, and dozens at risk due to a power outage, reported Reuters.
Al-Shifa and other hospitals in northern Gaza, a focal point of Israel's month-long campaign against Hamas, are struggling to provide adequate care for patients, with continuous Israeli bombardment causing a rise in daily injuries.
Gaza health ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qidra said that Israeli fire, while not directly hitting Al-Shifa overnight, is causing distress among medical officials and civilians.
Israel's chief military spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, announced the military's willingness to assist in evacuating babies from the hospital. However, Al-Qidra expressed uncertainty about the evacuation plans and emphasised the need for a safer hospital for the infants.
In the midst of the conflict, the humanitarian situation in Gaza is deteriorating, affecting hospitals' ability to care for patients. The Palestinian Red Crescent reported that Al-Quds hospital in northern Gaza is facing severe challenges, lacking medicine, food, and water. Shifa Hospital, unreachable for the newly wounded, is temporarily out of service, according to Dr. Mohammad Qandil at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.
As the conflict persists, Israel renewed calls for evacuations from three hospitals in northern Gaza, including Shifa, via designated exits. The situation remains dire, with limited access for aid, escalating casualties, and ongoing efforts to address the complex humanitarian crisis.