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HUNDREDS of Israeli soldiers are continuing their raid in all sections of al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, with bulldozers destroying buildings in the southern section of the hospital compound.
Al-Shifa Hospital Director Dr Muhammad Abu Salmiya, speaking from inside the hospital, described the situation as ‘catastrophic’.
‘There were Israeli soldiers in the ER (Emergency Room), and they took all the dead bodies that were lying in front of the ER. We have no idea where they took them. The Israeli forces are centred in the radiology, birth department, burns department and at the main entrance of the ER.
‘Drones are constantly flying over the hospital. They target the bridge linking the specialised surgeries building to the general surgeries building. We have 650 patients in the hospital. Forty-five of them are kidney dialysis patients, and 36 are premature babies.
‘One kidney dialysis patient died and four are in serious condition. The patients are crying for water and food. We have more than 500 medical staff and more than 5,000 refugees inside the hospital.
‘The Israeli army’s claims are false, and there was no gunfire from inside the hospital toward the Israeli soldiers. We will not leave the patients alone: we will live and die together.
‘Water shortage is making it hard for us, but we will try our best to survive. The Israeli army bombed the water line. There are some Israeli vehicles behind the specialised surgeries building and the general surgeries building. The army is digging up the ground to allow military tanks to besiege the hospital.’
Out of 35 hospitals in Gaza, nine are partially functioning. The rest are out of service. The Palestinian death toll as of Wednesday stood at 11,470, of whom 4,407 are children. More than 29,000 people are injured.
In al-Shifa, 40 patients, including three premature babies, have died since November 11 due to a lack of fuel. Medical teams cannot move between departments and buildings at al-Shifa Hospital because an Israeli drone fires at those who move around the complex. Among the dead are 202 medical staff members and 26 members of the civil defence. More than 200 health personnel have been wounded.
- Displaced people fleeing from northern Gaza are reporting the presence of bodies in the streets.
- More than 58% (almost 276,000) of Gaza’s housing units have been destroyed.
- Ahmed al-Fara, head of the paediatric department at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, said: ‘We have nearly no water available for the children, so we have the most serious epidemic of gastroenteritis I have ever seen.’
- South Africa’s parliament is debating a motion to cut diplomatic ties with Israel and has filed a referral to the International Criminal Court for an investigation into war crimes committed by Israel in Gaza, President Cyril Ramaphosa said.
East London schoolkids walk out for Palestine
several hundred east London schoolchildren left their schools and marched with placards and banners, chanting ‘Free, Free Palestine!’ down Whitechapel High Street to Tower Hamlets Town Hall yesterday lunchtime in support of Palestine.
Ibrahim Ali from George Green school, said: ‘We came today because our brothers and sisters are dying in Palestine. We are all one community coming to this protest. Every child in this world had a right to a decent life. 95% of the water is not running.
‘It’s time for the world to wake up. Israel is currently oppressing the Palestinians. We need to help everyone who is struggling in this catastrophe.
‘We are all one unit. We are united, whether we’re from London, Sudan, America, Somalia or Palestine.’
Mahir Ali and Mahfuza Amin said: ‘We stand in solidarity with Palestine. We don’t accept the “No ceasefire”. We don’t stand with Israel. We supported the SNP amendment in Parliament for a ceasefire now. No justice! No peace!
‘Keir Starmer should be ashamed of himself voting against a ceasefire. Stop bombing schools and refugee camps.’
Mariam Ahmed and Mariam Mahmood both aged 16 years, said: ‘There’s a whole genocide going on. The government are pro-Israel. They tell the schools they must remain neutral.
‘They themselves are not. They’ve got the Israeli flag on Downing Street. Suella Braverman called the peaceful Palestine marches “hate marches”. Nonsense! The only violence was from the EDL.’
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