Hamas Says All Hospitals in Northern Gaza ‘Out of Service,’ Toll in Al-Shifa Rises to Six Babies – News18

None of the hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip are operational, the Hamas-run health ministry said Monday, as intense fighting rages between Israeli troops and Hamas militants. Youssef Abu Rish, deputy health minister in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, told AFP all hospitals in the north of the enclave were “out of service”.

Rish told the French agency that a premature baby and two patients have died in Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital, as the facility suffered fuel shortages amid intense fighting between Israeli troops and Hamas militants. He added that the new deaths brought the toll to six premature babies and nine patients since electric shortages began affecting the hospital a number of days ago.

On Monday, a UN health official said many displaced Palestinians, along with some medical patients, have left Gaza’s largest hospital, which is surrounded by Israeli forces. “About 650 patients, 500 healthcare workers and an estimated 2,500 displaced people remain in the sprawling Shifa hospital compound,” said Mohammed Zaqout, director of hospitals in Gaza. This would signal a significant departure since the weekend when Gaza health officials had said about 1,500 patients, along with 1,500 medical workers and 15,000 displaced people were at Shifa, according to The Associated Press.

Heavy battles outside Shifa

Israeli forces and Hamas gunmen have waged heavy battles outside Shifa, and some hospital officials have said Shifa was under siege, with those inside being pinned down by Israeli fire. Israel has said it had offered safe passage to those wanting to leave. The situation at Shifa deteriorated over the weekend, with doctors reporting that the last generator had run out of fuel, leading to the deaths of several patients, including premature babies.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN agency was in contact with Shifa Hospital late Sunday, which he said had been without electricity and water for three days. “The constant gunfire and bombings in the area have exacerbated the already critical circumstances,” he said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Regrettably, the hospital is not functioning as a hospital anymore.”

(With agency inputs)