Gaza’s Last Functional Hospital Empties as Israeli Forces Advance

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — In recent days, one of Gaza’s few operational hospitals has seen a significant decrease in its patient numbers as Israel has mandated the evacuation of surrounding areas, indicating a potential ground operation in a region that has remained largely untouched during the ongoing conflict.

The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, located in Deir al-Balah, serves as the primary medical facility for central Gaza. Although the military has not issued a direct evacuation order for the hospital, those seeking refuge and patients are anxious that it might soon become a battleground or be targeted in an Israeli raid.

Throughout the 10-month conflict, Israeli forces have occupied multiple hospitals, claiming that Hamas utilizes them for military gain. Palestinian health officials, however, have firmly denied these allegations.

According to the United Nations, the current evacuation orders cover roughly 84% of Gaza’s territory, resulting in about 90% of the population, approximately 2.3 million people, being displaced from their homes. Many individuals have relocated multiple times, escaping with only what they can carry. A large number have settled into overcrowded tent camps along the coast, facing a lack of basic public services.

On Monday, reporters observed a steady flow of individuals fleeing the hospital and its vicinity, often on foot. Some people were seen carrying sick children or patients on stretchers, while others lugged bags filled with clothing, mattresses, and blankets. Nearby, four schools are also undergoing evacuations.

“Where will we get medicine?” Adliyeh al-Najjar remarked while resting at the hospital entrance. “Where will patients like me go?”

Fatimah al-Attar was visibly distressed as she left the hospital grounds to head towards the tent camps. “Our fate is to die,” she lamented. “There is nowhere safe for us to go.”

Doctors Without Borders, known in France by its acronym MSF, reported that an explosion approximately 250 meters from the hospital on Sunday prompted widespread fear and contributed to the evacuation.

In a statement on the platform X, MSF noted, “As a result, we are contemplating suspending wound care temporarily while striving to continue essential life-saving treatments.”

Before evacuation mandates were issued, the hospital was caring for over 600 patients. Currently, around 100 patients remain, including seven in intensive care and eight in the children’s ward.

The Israeli military stated that its operations in Deir al-Balah are aimed at dismantling Hamas’s remaining infrastructure in the area and asserted that the evacuation orders were designed to safeguard civilians. They emphasized that nearby hospitals and medical facilities are not required to evacuate and have communicated this to Palestinian health authorities.

Despite previous eviction orders excluding hospitals, fear for safety has prompted patients and their families to leave.

The conflict began when Hamas militants launched a surprise attack into Israel on October 7, targeting army bases and agricultural communities, leading to approximately 1,200 deaths, primarily civilians, with around 250 individuals taken as hostages.

In response, Israel’s military offensive has caused the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians, as stated by Gaza’s Health Ministry, alongside substantial destruction throughout the area. Currently, Hamas is believed to hold around 110 hostages, roughly one-third of whom are thought to be deceased since many others were released in a cease-fire last year.

Israel continues its airstrikes across Gaza, even as the United States, Egypt, and Qatar engage in negotiations aimed at establishing a lasting cease-fire and facilitating the release of remaining hostages. Despite several months of intense discussions, significant challenges persist.

Medical facilities have consistently become battlegrounds in both the literal sense and within the polarized narratives of this conflict.

Israel contends that Hamas and other militants conceal themselves in hospitals, which also serve as shelters for thousands of displaced residents, and utilize these facilities for military ends. The military has conducted raids on various medical institutions since the conflict began and has provided some proof of militants being present in certain locations. Medical personnel reject these claims, arguing that the military displays a flagrant disregard for civilian lives.

International law permits hospitals to lose their protected status if they are used for military operations, but any military actions taken must adhere to principles of proportionality and efforts to minimize civilian harm.

Currently, only 16 out of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are somewhat operational, as reported by the World Health Organization, even while they contend with a constant influx of casualties from ongoing Israeli airstrikes. Compounding the tragedy, the challenges of importing and distributing humanitarian aid throughout Gaza have led to widespread food shortages and disease outbreaks, exacerbating the strain on the already beleaguered health care system.

Source: AP