The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, has issued a desperate plea against an Israeli military order to evacuate, warning that it puts children’s lives at severe risk. The hospital's intensive care unit is already treating more children than it was designed for, with all cases being critical and reliant on oxygen. Dr. Abu Safiya emphasized that there is no other facility in the Gaza Strip that can accommodate the number of patients dependent on ventilators if they were to evacuate.
Since Sunday, the Israeli military has issued evacuation orders for large areas in northern Gaza, including Beit Hanoun, Jabalya, and Beit Lahia, citing the need to combat efforts by Hamas to rebuild its capabilities in the area. Kamal Adwan Hospital, along with Al-Awda and the Indonesian Hospital, have been ordered to evacuate, according to Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and the Ministry of Health in Gaza.
The closure of these hospitals would have devastating consequences, as they are already only partially functioning. The health ministry in Gaza reported that Israeli attacks have killed nearly 42,000 Palestinians and injured over 97,000, with an estimated 11,355 children among the casualties. The health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians, and these figures have not been independently confirmed.
Dr. Abu Safiya's impassioned plea to international and humanitarian organizations, as well as the international community, underscores the urgent need to prevent the evacuation of Kamal Adwan Hospital and to ensure the continuation of life-saving operations for the children in critical condition. The situation in Gaza remains dire, with innocent civilians, including women and children, bearing the brunt of the ongoing conflict.
