With critical shortages of fuel and medical supplies, Nasser Medical Complex faces potential closure while Israeli assaults intensify.
**Imminent Catastrophe Looms at Nasser Hospital as Fuel Reserves Dwindle Amid Escalating Conflict**
**Imminent Catastrophe Looms at Nasser Hospital as Fuel Reserves Dwindle Amid Escalating Conflict**
The vital medical facility in Gaza struggles to maintain operations under siege conditions.
Gaza’s Nasser Medical Complex, the largest operational hospital in the region, is on the brink of catastrophe as it grapples with a dire fuel shortage essential for powering life-saving services. Medical professionals are sounding alarms, warning that the hospital could shut down entirely due to the ongoing Israeli offensive in Khan Younis, where conflict escalated as troops advanced and combat activity surged in close proximity to the medical facility.
On Thursday, the hospital ceased admitting new patients as reports emerged of Israeli forces, including tanks and armored units, advancing from a cemetery roughly 200 meters away. This incursion was marked by artillery fire that targeted neighboring camps housing displaced families, according to multiple eyewitness accounts. Medical staff and patients, including those in critical care, remain trapped within the hospital walls, fearing for their safety as resources dwindle rapidly.
Reports indicate no prior alert was issued by the Israeli military regarding the escalation, leaving medical personnel without guidance while confrontations unfolded nearby. Dr. Saber al-Asmar, an emergency physician at Nasser hospital, expressed the harrowing reality they face: "We are closer to death than to life." The act of evacuating civilians was reportedly carried out under gunfire, exacerbating the chaos as families fled without the ability to gather their belongings.
Stray gunfire near the facility has already resulted in civilian injuries. Meanwhile, the hospital is on the cusp of losing power as generators are expected to fail imminently, potentially endangering the lives of patients reliant on ventilators and other critical equipment. Doctors reported treating an overwhelming number of trauma cases, amidst warnings that any disruption could lead to immediate fatalities.
The recent surge in military action has coincided with claims from the Israeli government that 160,000 liters of fuel has entered Gaza for humanitarian use. However, distribution issues persist, leaving hospital staff to manage impossible conditions. Dr. Rik Peeperkorn from the World Health Organization underscored the dire situation, describing Nasser hospital as overwhelmed and outnumbered, with around 700 patients being cared for in a space designed for 350.
Further compounding these challenges, the International Committee of the Red Cross condemned incidents of violence against their personnel attempting humanitarian missions, indicating that tensions continue to rise. The dire context raises severe concerns over civilian safety amidst both ongoing military campaigns and negotiations that have seemingly stalled, putting the designated ceasefire talks into question.
On the broader front, the humanitarian impact of the conflict remains profound, with reports indicating that over 57,762 individuals have died in Gaza since the beginning of the Israeli military operations launched in response to the initial Hamas attacks in October. The continuous violence has placed immense strain on medical facilities already pushed beyond their limits, as the call for urgent intervention to alleviate suffering grows more dire each day.
