WHO humanitarian team describes Gaza’s Al Shifa Hospital as ‘death zone’, urges evacuation

Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, has become a “death zone,” said a World Health Organization (WHO)-led humanitarian assessment team which visited the medical facility in northern Gaza, on Sunday (Nov 19). The United Nations health agency also called for “immediate evacuation” of the remaining patients in the hospital as Israel’s army said it was expanding operations to destroy Hamas.

‘Death zone’

The assessment came after a WHO-led team, which also included other UN officials like public health experts, logistics officers and security staff, was able to spend around an hour inside the hospital on Saturday due to security concerns, said the UN health agency, in a statement.

The team described the hospital as a “death zone” and said the situation was “desperate.” The visit by UN officials comes after Israeli troops raided Gaza’s largest hospital earlier this week after claiming that Hamas uses it as a command centre, which has been denied by the Palestinian militant group and officials.

According to the WHO team, the Al-Shifa hospital is unable to function like a medical facility due to scarcity of clean water, fuel, medicine and other essentials. The team also reported signs of shelling and gunfire and even saw a “mass grave” at the entrance of the hospital.

“The team saw a mass grave at the entrance of the hospital and were told more than 80 people were buried there,” said the WHO statement.

The UN health agency also said that the hallways and hospital grounds were filled with medical and solid waste, and patients and health staff expressed fear for their health and safety.

Nearly 300 patients, 25 health workers left at Al-Shifa

According to WHO, there are 25 health workers and 291 patients, including 32 babies in “critical condition,” remaining in Al Shifa.

“WHO and partners are urgently developing plans for the immediate evacuation of the remaining patients, staff and their families,” said the UN agency, in a statement.

Speaking about the condition of those at Al-Shifa, the UN agency also said that 29 patients at the hospital with serious spinal injuries cannot move without medical assistance while others are suffering from infected wounds due to a lack of antibiotics.

It added, “Over the next 24-72 hours, pending guarantees of safe passage by parties to the conflict, additional missions are being arranged to urgently transport patients” to other hospitals in the south of Gaza.

However, it also warned how nearby facilities were already overstretched and urged an immediate ceasefire given the “extreme suffering of the people of Gaza.”

According to WHO, around2,500 internally displaced people who had sought refuge on Al Shifa grounds were gone after the Israeli forces issuedevacuation orders on Saturday.

Hundreds of people fled the hospital on foot on orders from the Israeli army, said the hospital’s director.Israeli forces seized Al Shifa in their offensive across north Gaza last week and also said it found evidenceof a Hamas base underground.

MSF convoy attacked

Doctors without Borders (MSF) said a convoy carrying its staff and family members came under attack Saturday while evacuating from near Al-Shifa, despite coordinating with both sides. It also went on to condemn what it called a “deliberate” attack which killed one person and wounded another.

The convoy of five vehicles, clearly marked with MSF identification, carrying 137 staff and family members was attacked near their office located close to Al-Shifa hospital, said the aid group, in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.