Posted on 26 January 2024
Cover photo: Destruction in Khan Younis, Save the Children
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) urgently warned on Thursday of a potential complete medical shutdown in Gaza unless immediate measures are taken to safeguard essential services.
The Nasser medical complex and the European Gaza Hospital, both situated in southern Gaza's Khan Younis, serve as the sole referral hospitals providing advanced surgical and medical emergency services, but they currently lack sufficient capacity for the number of wounded and sick individuals across Gaza. The ICRC highlighted that every operational hospital in Gaza is overcrowded, facing shortages of essential supplies, fuel, food, and water, and two additional facilities are at risk due to the ongoing conflict.
The Israel Defense Forces assert that Hamas operates in Gaza hospitals and nearby areas, alleging the group of using residents as human shields, and have announced the continuation of operations in Khan Younis for several days.