Gaza: Maternity ward at Nasser Medical Complex evacuated and turned into emergency operating theatres

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced on Wednesday that medical teams at Nasser Medical Complex were forced to evacuate the maternity ward and convert its rooms into emergency operating theatres due to the growing number of wounded individuals. The casualties were attempting to collect flour rations in Khan Younis,   

OCHA reported that medical staff had to amputate limbs in several cases to save lives, amid a severe shortage of medical supplies and equipment.

The agency noted that this development followed an incident on Tuesday in which people waiting for humanitarian aid were killed or injured.

OCHA added that “every day, scores of patients across the Gaza Strip desperately need blood transfusions. But as blood stocks are very low, our partners are relying on daily collections to meet the increasing demand

The report also warned that “the lack of food supplies for emergency workers is causing many of them to faint, especially when they deal with mass casualty incidents.” 

This reflects the immense pressure on the health system in the Gaza Strip.

Since 7 October 2023, and with full support from the United States, the Israeli occupation forces have been committing acts of genocide in Gaza. These attacks have resulted in over 185,000 Palestinians killed or injured—most of them women and children—more than 11,000 missing persons, and hundreds of thousands displaced.

READ: Israeli aims to control all Gaza, displace civilians violate international law: EU foreign policy chief