31 ‘very sick’ babies have been evacuated from Gaza’s largest hospital, where trauma patients remain

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On Sunday, health officials reported the safe evacuation of 31 critically ill premature infants from Gaza’s primary hospital to a facility in the southern region, with plans for further transfer to Egypt. This move comes amidst ongoing conflict, with many severely injured patients still trapped at the hospital, days after Israeli forces entered the area.

Shifa Hospital, where the infants were initially housed, gained international attention due to images depicting doctors struggling to keep the babies warm amid a power outage that disabled incubators and other essential equipment. The hospital faced dire shortages of food, water, and medical supplies as Israeli forces and Palestinian militants clashed nearby.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organization, announced on social media the evacuation of the infants, accompanied by six healthcare workers and ten family members of the staff, to Rafah in southern Gaza. The infants, who suffered from various conditions including dehydration, vomiting, hypothermia, and sepsis due to a lack of medication, were in dire need of specialized care. Mohamed Zaqout, the director of Gaza hospitals, stated that these conditions were not conducive to their survival and confirmed their scheduled transfer to Egypt for more advanced treatment on Monday.

The hospital’s situation has raised questions about the protection of medical facilities in conflict zones, as outlined by the rules of war. The situation in Gaza has sparked emotional responses worldwide, with pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian demonstrations occurring globally. The WHO, after inspecting the hospital, found 291 patients still on-site, including the evacuated infants. There were trauma patients with severe infections and spinal injury victims who couldn’t move. Tragically, four babies died in the two days preceding the WHO visit.

The WHO described Shifa Hospital as a “death zone,” with 25 medical staff remaining with terrified patients pleading for evacuation. Further complicating matters, Dr. Ahmed El Mokhallalati, the hospital’s head of plastic surgery, reported an Israeli military raid on the surgical department, leading to the investigation of staff and patients and the arrest of one patient.

Israel alleges that Hamas operates a command center within Shifa, a claim that Hamas and hospital staff deny. This accusation is part of Israel’s broader narrative of Hamas using civilians as shields. The Israeli military claims to have found weapons and tunnel entrances within the hospital premises, though these findings have not been independently verified.

In other developments, Israel’s military stated that Houthi rebels from Yemen intercepted a cargo ship in the Red Sea, traveling from Turkey to India. According to Israeli officials, the ship, owned by a British company, was not Israeli, and no Israelis were on board. The Houthis, however, claimed to have captured an Israeli vessel and crew, treating the captives according to Islamic principles.

Amid these tensions, heavy fighting erupted in Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza, with reports of gunfire and tank shelling. The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) reported an Israeli airstrike on a school in Jabaliya, leading to 24 deaths. The Israeli military urged Palestinians to evacuate northern Gaza but has not explicitly claimed responsibility for this particular strike.

The conflict has resulted in high civilian casualties, with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemning the strikes and calling for an immediate cessation of hostilities. Palestinian health authorities report over 11,500 deaths, with an additional 2,700 missing and presumed buried under rubble. Israel maintains that many of these casualties are militants.

Regarding hostages, Hamas has released four, Israel has rescued one, and two bodies were found near Shifa Hospital. Negotiations involving Israel, the U.S., and Qatar are ongoing to secure the release of more hostages.

With winter’s onset, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has worsened. Over two-thirds of the population have fled their homes, and the U.N. struggles to provide basic services. Israel recently allowed a limited import of fuel for humanitarian purposes. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant hinted at a potential expansion of military operations to southern Gaza.

In light of the escalating conflict, Egypt has declined to accept Palestinian refugees, citing concerns that Israel might prevent their return. Amid these developments, Palestinian-Canadian Khalil Manaa, 71, recounted his harrowing experience fleeing to southern Gaza and facing rocket strikes.

For further details, please refer to the full coverage at bigbignews.net/israel-hamas-war.

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