The Israeli onslaught against the people of Gaza continued for the 44th consecutive day on Sunday with hospitals in the narrow enclave ceasing to function amid bombardment on refugee camps and United Nations-run schools.
The World Health Organization described Gaza’s largest hospital Al-Shifa as a “death zone” announcing plans to evacuate the last remaining patients while the Israeli army said it was expanding operations to destroy Hamas.
The WHO’s assessment of Al-Shifa Hospital came after a visit by its teams along with other UN officials following an Israeli raid at the hospital earlier this week.
On Sunday, the WHO described the hospital as a “death zone”, with a mass grave at the entrance and nearly 300 patients left inside with 25 health workers.
Gaza’s Health Ministry said at least 30 premature babies have been evacuated from Al-Shifa Hospital and will be transferred to hospitals in Egypt.
Medhat Abbas, a spokesman for the ministry, said they were evacuated from the hospital on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Israeli bombardment targetting hospitals, refugee camps, schools and residential areas in north and south Gaza is ongoing round the clock allowing for no respite even as Hamas fighters continue to resist.
At least 31 Palestinians were killed in separate strikes at the Nuseirat refugee camp and another refugee camp, reported Al Jazeera.
Besides, dozens of people, including children, were killed.
The WHO said 29 patients at the hospital with serious spinal injuries cannot move without medical assistance, and others have infected wounds due to lack of antibiotics.
There are also 32 babies in “extremely critical condition,” WHO said.
In Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, dozens of Palestinians marched to a funeral for 15 residents killed in an Israeli strike on an apartment block on Saturday.
“Our youth are dying, women and children are dying, where are the Arab presidents?” said Heydaya Asfour, a relative of some of the dead.
