Al-Awda Hospital in northern Gaza faces imminent closure as fuel supplies are expected to run out by tomorrow, Sunday, a development that would exacerbate the already critical health crisis in the region.

Mohammad Saleh, the hospital’s director, warned of severe consequences as the facility grapples with what he described as a “terrifying health situation” due to ongoing Israeli military actions, now in their 29th day.

In a press briefing on Saturday, Saleh highlighted the extreme limitations the hospital faces. Al-Awda currently operates with a single general surgeon and limited resources, making it the only facility in northern Gaza able to provide general surgical care. However, the increasing number of severe injuries in need of urgent intervention in fields such as neurosurgery, vascular surgery, and ophthalmology has placed overwhelming pressure on the hospital. Saleh noted that over 70% of patients require urgent surgical procedures, a need that the facility struggles to meet due to severe staff and resource shortages.

The dire situation is compounded by deliberate attacks on hospitals, which have strained Gaza’s healthcare infrastructure. Saleh reported that Israeli forces have targeted ambulances, leaving the Palestinian Civil Defense incapacitated and making it nearly impossible to transport the wounded from affected areas. With ambulances destroyed and roads damaged, civilians now bear the burden of transporting injured individuals to Al-Awda on foot or with animal-pulled carts.

Saleh described the situation as unprecedented, expressing deep concern for the safety of patients and staff. Israeli forces have reportedly opened fire on the hospital multiple times, disrupting medical procedures and further endangering lives. Medical staff are working under immense pressure, with a growing influx of critical cases and dwindling supplies of medicine and essential medical equipment.

The looming fuel shortage and ongoing attacks on healthcare facilities signal a potential collapse of medical services in northern Gaza, leaving the region’s population increasingly vulnerable amid the ongoing conflict. (ILKHA)