Gaza hospitals strained as Israeli attacks continue, death toll rises

Hospitals across the Gaza Strip are continuing to function under extreme pressure as access restrictions sharply limit the provision of medical services, Anadolu reported. Health facilities and staff are struggling to meet rising demand amid persistent shortages and logistical constraints.

At Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, wounded patients are being treated in wards run by Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), where shortages of medical supplies, equipment, and specialist services remain acute. Medical workers warn that if current restrictions continue, operations at the facility could be forced to halt as early as March.

Among those receiving care is Ismail Abduljabbar Abu Redde, a Palestinian father undergoing treatment after losing two daughters in an attack that struck the area where his family had taken shelter following displacement. His case reflects the toll of prolonged assaults and repeated displacement on the Palestinian families in Gaza.

No alternative care for severe injuries
Mohammed Abu Jasser, supervisor of the Burns and Reconstructive Surgery Unit operated by MSF at Nasser Hospital, said the facility treats patients with complex injuries, including multiple trauma, fractures, and severe burns. He noted that many patients rely on the unit because no other hospitals in Gaza are equipped to provide comparable care.

Abu Jasser warned that any suspension of MSF’s activities in Gaza would leave hundreds of patients without access to life-saving treatment. He added that ongoing restrictions on the entry of medical supplies and specialist medical teams could result in patients being left untreated, making it increasingly difficult to sustain healthcare services under current conditions.

Israeli genocide ongoing
Fresh Israeli gunfire and shelling were reported across the Gaza Strip, leaving at least one Palestinian killed and several others wounded, according to local health officials and field reports.

Al Mayadeen’s correspondent reported that two people were wounded by gunfire from an Israeli quadcopter drone near the Haboub Mosque in the Beit Lahia project area in northern Gaza. In the south, a civilian was critically injured by Israeli fire in the Sheikh Nasser neighbourhood, east of Khan Younis, while another Palestinian was killed by Israeli army fire near the desalination area east of the city.

Residents reported near-constant explosions, with demolitions and artillery shelling continuing around the clock in several areas.

On the previous day, a Palestinian died from wounds sustained in an Israeli strike on the al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis, also in the south of the territory. Separately, seven Palestinians from Gaza arrived at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza after being released from Israeli prisons.

Rising toll
According to the latest daily statistical report issued by the Gaza Ministry of Health, Gaza hospitals received one newly confirmed death, one retrieved body of a Palestinian martyr, and 12 wounded Palestinians over 48 hours. The Ministry said a number of victims remain trapped under rubble or in the streets, as ambulance and civil defense teams have been unable to reach them due to ongoing Israeli assaults and access constraints.

Since the ceasefire announced on October 11, the Ministry has recorded 465 Palestinians killed, 1,287 wounded, and 713 bodies of Palestinian martyrs retrieved. Since the start of the Israeli genocide on October 7, 2023, the cumulative toll has risen to 71,550 Palestinians killed and 171,365 injured, according to the same figures.

Civil Defense warns of daily Israeli gunfire targeting Palestinians in Gaza
Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip, said ambulance crews are responding daily to dozens of distress calls as Israeli occupation forces open random fire from their positions, striking shelters and residential neighborhoods.

He warned that the gunfire routinely penetrates deep into densely populated urban areas, killing Palestinians and leaving many others wounded.

Basal described the pattern as a new and particularly dangerous method of targeting civilians, stressing that it constitutes a clear and flagrant violation of international humanitarian law. He said Civil Defense teams are continuing to monitor, document, and record these violations on the ground despite the risks faced by rescue workers.

He urged the international community, mediators, and human rights organizations to exert immediate and meaningful pressure to stop the attacks and ensure effective protection for Palestinian families in the Gaza Strip.