Australia calls for protection of hospitals, patients, medical staff in Gaza

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - Australia on Friday called for the protection of hospitals, patients, medical and humanitarian staff in the Palestinian besieged enclave of Gaza.

“Australia is deeply concerned by attacks in and around hospitals in Gaza, including an Indonesian-funded hospital in northern Gaza and a Jordanian field hospital,” Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on X.

On Thursday, the government media office in Gaza said that more than 7,000 displaced people, patients, and medical staff at Al-Shifa Hospital are "fighting death due to a lack of water and food" caused by the Israeli military blockade.

The office said that there is “no food, water, or milk for infants” at the hospital.

Israel's bombardment of the Gaza Strip since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, accompanied by a ground operation, has killed over 11,400 Palestinians, more than half of them being women and children.

Thousands of buildings, including hospitals, mosques and churches, have also either been damaged or fully destroyed.

The official Israeli death toll, meanwhile, stands at 1,200.

The Palestinian enclave is again under a communications blackout due to a lack of fuel for generators, according to Paltel, the company which provides telecommunications services in the Gaza Strip.