Accentnews.ge
Al-Shifa hospital ‘no longer functioning’, says WHO

Al-Shifa hospital ‘no longer functioning’, says WHO

13/11/2023 05:48:58 World

Health officials and people trapped inside Gaza’s largest hospital rejected Israel’s claims that it was helping babies and others evacuate Sunday, the Associated Press reports, saying fighting continued just outside the facility where incubators lay idle with no electricity and critical supplies were running out.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on the X social media platform that Shifa has been without water three days and “is not functioning as a hospital anymore.” Several humanitarian groups told The Associated Press they weren’t able to reach the hospital Sunday.

The last generator ran out of fuel Saturday, leading to the deaths of three premature babies and four other patients, according to the Health Ministry.

It said another 36 babies are at risk of dying, the WHO said.

Israel’s military asserted it placed 300 liters (79 gallons) of fuel near Shifa overnight for an emergency generator powering incubators for premature babies and coordinated the delivery with hospital officials.

A Health Ministry spokesperson, Ashraf al-Qidra, told Al Jazeera the fuel would not be enough to operate the generator an hour. “This is a mockery towards the patients and children,” Al-Qidra said.

News