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Kuwait Times
7 days ago
- Health
- Kuwait Times
Gaza doctors cram babies into incubators amid fuel shortages
Gaza hospitals fear dwindling fuel supplies will lead to shutdowns GAZA: At Gaza's largest hospital, doctors say crippling fuel shortages have led them to put several premature babies in a single incubator as they struggle to keep the newborns alive while the Zionist entity presses on with its military campaign. Overwhelmed medics say the dwindling fuel supplies threaten to plunge them into darkness and paralyses hospitals and clinics in the Palestinian territory, where health services have been pummeled during 21 months of war. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the fate of Zionist hostages in Gaza with US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, patients at Al-Shifa medical center in Gaza City faced imminent danger, doctors there said. 'We are forced to place four, five, or sometimes three premature babies in one incubator,' said Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia, Al Shifa's director. 'Premature babies are now in a very critical condition.' The threat comes from 'neither an airstrike nor a missile — but a siege choking the entry of fuel,' Dr. Muneer Alboursh, director general of the Gaza Ministry of Health, told Reuters. The shortage is 'depriving these vulnerable people of their basic right to medical care, turning the hospital into a silent graveyard,' he said. Gaza, a tiny strip of land with a population of more than 2 million, was under a long, the Zionist-led blockade before the war between the Zionist entity and Palestinian militant group Hamas erupted. Palestinians and medical workers have accused the Zionist military of attacking hospitals, allegations it rejects. The Zionist entity accuses Hamas of operating from medical facilities and running command centers underneath them, which Hamas denies. Patients in need of medical care, food and water are paying the price. There have been more than 600 attacks on health facilities since the conflict began, the WHO says, without attributing blame. It has described the health sector in Gaza as being 'on its knees', with shortages of fuel, medical supplies and frequent arrivals of mass casualties. Just half of Gaza's 36 general hospitals are partially functioning, according to the UN agency. Abu Selmia warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and accused the Zionist entity of 'trickle-feeding' fuel to Gaza's hospitals. COGAT, the Zionist military aid coordination agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about fuel shortages at Gaza's medical facilities and the risk to patients. Oxygen risk Abu Selmia said Al Shifa's dialysis department had been shut down to protect the intensive care unit and operating rooms, which can't be without electricity for even a few minutes. There are around 100 premature babies in Gaza City hospitals whose lives are at serious risk, he said. Before the war, there were 110 incubators in northern Gaza compared to about 40 now, said Abu Selmia. 'Oxygen stations will stop working. A hospital without oxygen is no longer a hospital. The lab and blood banks will shut down, and the blood units in the refrigerators will spoil,' Abu Selmia said, adding that the hospital could become 'a graveyard for those inside'. Officials at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis are also wondering how they will cope with the fuel crisis. The hospital needs 4,500 liters of fuel per day and it now has only 3,000 liters, said hospital spokesperson Mohammed Sakr. Doctors are performing surgeries without electricity or air conditioning. The sweat from staff is dripping into patients' wounds, he said. Earlier this year, the Zionist entity imposed a total blockade on Gaza for nearly three months, before partly lifting it. The Zionist entity accuses Hamas of diverting aid, something Hamas denies. 'You can have the best hospital staff on the planet, but if they are denied the medicines and the pain killers and now the very means for a hospital to have light ... it becomes an impossibility,' said James Elder, a spokesperson for UN children's agency UNICEF, recently returned from Gaza. — Reuters
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Gaza doctors cram babies into incubators as fuel shortage threatens hosps
Palestinian newborns share an incubator at Al-Helou hospital in Gaza City (Reuters) GAZA: At Gaza's largest hospital, doctors say crippling fuel shortages have led them to put several premature babies in a single incubator as they struggle to keep the newborns alive while Israel presses on with its military campaign. Medics say dwindling fuel supplies threaten to plunge them into darkness and paralyse hospitals and clinics in the territory, where health services have been pummelled during 21 months of war. An Israeli military official said around 160,000 litres of fuel destined for hospitals and other humanitarian facilities had entered Gaza since Wednesday, but its distribution was not under Israel's purview. While PM Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the fate of Israeli hostages in Gaza with US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, patients at Al Shifa medical centre in Gaza City faced imminent danger, doctors there said. "We are forced to place four, five, or sometimes three premature babies in one incubator," said Dr Mohammed Abu Selmia, Al Shifa's director. "Premature babies are now in a very critical condition." The threat comes from "neither an airstrike nor a missile - but a siege choking the entry of fuel," said Dr Muneer Alboursh, director general of Gaza ministry of health. The shortage is "depriving these vulnerable people of their basic right to medical care, turning the hospital into a silent graveyard". by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2만원, 기부반지 유어턴링으로 후원하기 굿네이버스 더 알아보기 Undo The Israeli military official said such depictions were creating "a false narrative". UN bodies working in Gaza decide how to distribute fuel and he did not know if fuel had reached Al Shifa yet, he said. WHO has described the health sector in Gaza as being "on its knees", with shortages of fuel, medical supplies and frequent arrivals of mass casualties. Just half of Gaza's 36 general hospitals are partially functioning, according to the UN agency. Abu Selmia said Al Shifa's dialysis department had been shut down to protect the intensive care unit and operating rooms, which can't be without electricity for even a few minutes. There are around 100 premature babies in Gaza City hospitals whose lives are at serious risk, he said. Before the war, there were 110 incubators in northern Gaza compared to about 40 now, said Abu Selmia. Officials at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis are also wondering how they will cope with the fuel crisis. The hospital needs 4,500 litre of fuel per day and it now has only 3,000 litre, said hospital spokesperson Mohammed Sakr. Doctors are performing surgeries without electricity or air conditioning. The sweat from staff is dripping into patients' wounds, he said. "You can have the best hospital staff on the planet, but if they are denied the medicines and the pain killers and now the very means for a hospital to have light ... it becomes an impossibility," said James Elder, a Unicef spokesperson, recently returned from Gaza. (This is a Reuters story)
Gulf Today
10-07-2025
- Health
- Gulf Today
Gaza doctors cram babies into 'single incubators' as fuel shortage threatens hospitals
Doctors at Gaza's largest hospital say crippling fuel shortages have led them to put several premature babies in single incubators as they struggle to keep the newborns alive while Israel presses on with its military campaign. Overwhelmed medics say the dwindling fuel supplies threaten to plunge them into darkness and paralyse hospitals and clinics in the Palestinian territory, where health services have been pummelled during 21 months of war. An Israeli military official said around 160,000 litres of fuel destined for hospitals and other humanitarian facilities had entered Gaza since Wednesday, but that its distribution around the enclave was not under Israel's purview. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the fate of Israeli hostages in Gaza with US President Donald Trump in Washington this week, patients at Al Shifa medical center in Gaza City faced imminent danger, doctors there said. "We are forced to place four, five, or sometimes three premature babies in one incubator," said Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia, Al Shifa's director. "Premature babies are now in a very critical condition." Palestinian newborns share an incubator at Al Helou Hospital due to fuel crisis in Gaza City. Reuters The threat comes from "neither an airstrike nor a missile - but a siege choking the entry of fuel," Dr. Muneer Alboursh, director general of the Gaza Ministry of Health, told Reuters. The shortage is "depriving these vulnerable people of their basic right to medical care, turning the hospital into a silent graveyard," he said. The Israeli military official said such depictions were creating "a false narrative." UN bodies working in Gaza decide how to distribute fuel and he did not know if fuel had reached Al Shifa yet, he said. Gaza, a tiny strip of land with a population of more than 2 million, was under a long, Israeli-led blockade before the war between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas erupted. Palestinians and medical workers have accused the Israeli military of attacking hospitals, allegations it rejects. Israel accuses Hamas of operating from medical facilities and running command centres underneath them, which Hamas denies. Patients in need of medical care, food and water are paying the price. There have been more than 600 attacks on health facilities since the conflict began, the WHO says, without attributing blame. It has described the health sector in Gaza as being "on its knees", with shortages of fuel, medical supplies and frequent arrivals of mass casualties. Just half of Gaza's 36 general hospitals are partially functioning, according to the UN agency. Abu Selmia warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and accused Israel of "trickle-feeding" fuel to Gaza's hospitals. COGAT, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about fuel shortages at Gaza's medical facilities and the risk to patients. Abu Selmia said Al Shifa's dialysis department had been shut down to protect the intensive care unit and operating rooms, which can't be without electricity for even a few minutes. There are around 100 premature babies in Gaza City hospitals whose lives are at serious risk, he said. Before the war, there were 110 incubators in northern Gaza compared to about 40 now, said Abu Selmia. "Oxygen stations will stop working. A hospital without oxygen is no longer a hospital. The lab and blood banks will shut down, and the blood units in the refrigerators will spoil," Abu Selmia said, adding that the hospital could become "a graveyard for those inside." Officials at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis are also wondering how they will cope with the fuel crisis. The hospital needs 4,500 litres of fuel per day and it now has only 3,000 litres, said hospital spokesperson Mohammed Sakr. Doctors are performing surgeries without electricity or air conditioning. The sweat from staff is dripping into patients' wounds, he said. Earlier this year, Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza for nearly three months, before partly lifting it while introducing a US and Israeli-backed scheme that largely bypasses the UN system. Israel accuses Hamas of diverting aid, something Hamas denies. "You can have the best hospital staff on the planet, but if they are denied the medicines and the pain killers and now the very means for a hospital to have light ... it becomes an impossibility," said James Elder, a spokesperson for UN children's agency UNICEF, recently returned from Gaza. Reuters
Observer
10-07-2025
- Health
- Observer
Gaza doctors cram babies into incubators as fuel shortage threatens hospitals
GAZA: At Gaza's largest hospital, doctors say crippling fuel shortages have led them to put several premature babies in a single incubator as they struggle to keep the newborns alive while Israel presses on with its military campaign. Overwhelmed medics say the dwindling fuel supplies threaten to plunge them into darkness and paralyse hospitals and clinics in the Palestinian territory, where health services have been pummelled during 21 months of war. Patients at Al Shifa medical centre in Gaza City faced imminent danger, doctors there said. "We are forced to place four, five, or sometimes three premature babies in one incubator", said Dr Mohammed Abu Selmia, Al Shifa's director. "Premature babies are now in a very critical condition". The threat comes from "neither an air strike nor a missile — but a siege choking the entry of fuel", Dr Muneer Alboursh, director general of the Gaza Ministry of Health, said. The shortage is "depriving these vulnerable people of their basic right to medical care, turning the hospital into a silent graveyard", he said. Gaza, a tiny strip of land with a population of more than 2 million, was under a long, Israeli-led blockade before the war between Israel and Hamas erupted. Palestinians and medical workers have accused the Israeli military of attacking hospitals, allegations it rejects. There have been more than 600 attacks on health facilities since the conflict began, the WHO says, without attributing blame. It has described the health sector in Gaza as being "on its knees", with shortages of fuel, medical supplies and frequent arrivals of mass casualties. Just half of Gaza's 36 general hospitals are partially functioning, according to the UN agency. Abu Selmia warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and accused Israel of "trickle-feeding" fuel to Gaza's hospitals. COGAT, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about fuel shortages at Gaza's medical facilities and the risk to patients. Abu Selmia said Al Shifa's dialysis department had been shut down to protect the intensive care unit and operating rooms, which can't be without electricity for even a few minutes. There are around 100 premature babies in Gaza City hospitals whose lives are at serious risk, he said. Before the war, there were 110 incubators in northern Gaza compared to about 40 now, said Abu Selmia. "Oxygen stations will stop working. A hospital without oxygen is no longer a hospital. The lab and blood banks will shut down and the blood units in the refrigerators will spoil", Abu Selmia said, adding that the hospital could become "a graveyard for those inside". Officials at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis are also wondering how they will cope with the fuel crisis. The hospital needs 4,500 litres of fuel per day and it now has only 3,000 litres, said hospital spokesperson Mohammed Sakr. — Reuters
Time of India
10-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Gaza doctors cram babies into incubators as fuel shortage threatens hospitals
Gaza: At Gaza's largest hospital, doctors say crippling fuel shortages have led them to put several premature babies in a single incubator as they struggle to keep the newborns alive while Israel presses on with its military campaign. Overwhelmed medics say the dwindling fuel supplies threaten to plunge them into darkness and paralyse hospitals and clinics in the Palestinian territory, where health services have been pummelled during 21 months of war. While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the fate of Israeli hostages in Gaza with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington this week, patients at Al Shifa medical center in Gaza City faced imminent danger, doctors there said. "We are forced to place four, five, or sometimes three premature babies in one incubator," said Dr. Mohammed Abu Selmia, Al Shifa's director. "Premature babies are now in a very critical condition." The threat comes from "neither an airstrike nor a missile - but a siege choking the entry of fuel," Dr. Muneer Alboursh, director general of the Gaza Ministry of Health, told Reuters. The shortage is "depriving these vulnerable people of their basic right to medical care, turning the hospital into a silent graveyard," he said. Gaza, a tiny strip of land with a population of more than 2 million, was under a long, Israeli-led blockade before the war between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas erupted. Palestinians and medical workers have accused the Israeli military of attacking hospitals, allegations it rejects. Israel accuses Hamas of operating from medical facilities and running command centres underneath them, which Hamas denies. Patients in need of medical care, food and water are paying the price. There have been more than 600 attacks on health facilities since the conflict began, the WHO says, without attributing blame. It has described the health sector in Gaza as being "on its knees", with shortages of fuel, medical supplies and frequent arrivals of mass casualties. Just half of Gaza's 36 general hospitals are partially functioning, according to the U.N. agency. Abu Selmia warned of a humanitarian catastrophe and accused Israel of "trickle-feeding" fuel to Gaza's hospitals. COGAT, the Israeli military aid coordination agency, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about fuel shortages at Gaza's medical facilities and the risk to patients. OXYGEN RISK Abu Selmia said Al Shifa's dialysis department had been shut down to protect the intensive care unit and operating rooms, which can't be without electricity for even a few minutes. There are around 100 premature babies in Gaza City hospitals whose lives are at serious risk, he said. Before the war, there were 110 incubators in northern Gaza compared to about 40 now, said Abu Selmia. "Oxygen stations will stop working. A hospital without oxygen is no longer a hospital. The lab and blood banks will shut down, and the blood units in the refrigerators will spoil," Abu Selmia said, adding that the hospital could become "a graveyard for those inside". Officials at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis are also wondering how they will cope with the fuel crisis. The hospital needs 4,500 litres of fuel per day and it now has only 3,000 litres, said hospital spokesperson Mohammed Sakr. Doctors are performing surgeries without electricity or air conditioning. The sweat from staff is dripping into patients' wounds, he said. Earlier this year, Israel imposed a total blockade on Gaza for nearly three months, before partly lifting it. Israel accuses Hamas of diverting aid, something Hamas denies. "You can have the best hospital staff on the planet, but if they are denied the medicines and the pain killers and now the very means for a hospital to have light ... it becomes an impossibility," said James Elder, a spokesperson for U.N. children's agency UNICEF, recently returned from Gaza. The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered in October 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages, according to Israeli tallies. Gaza's health ministry says Israel's response has killed over 57,000 Palestinians. It has also caused a hunger crisis, internally displaced almost all Gaza's population and prompted accusations of genocide and war crimes, which Israel denies. (Ali Sawafta reported from Ramallah and Mashmoud Issa and Hussam El Masri reported from Gaza; Additional reporting by Emma Farge and Olivia Le Poidevin in Geneva; Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
