Injured Palestinians relocated from evacuated Israeli hospital to school, await medical treatment

By Mohammed Majed and Gulsen Topcu

GAZA (AA) - Injured Palestinians from Israeli attacks in Gaza, initially in Indonesia Hospital, have been relocated to a school in Rafah, southern Gaza, awaiting medical treatment.

Indonesia Hospital, targeted by Israeli attacks, was fully evacuated on Nov. 25.

Due to insufficient bed capacity in hospitals in the south of Gaza and the closure of hospitals in the north, evacuees from the Indonesia Hospital, including patients and injured individuals, have mostly been relocated to schools, placing an additional burden on southern hospitals.

Jenin School in Rafah is one of them. The injured brought from Indonesia Hospital are waiting to complete their treatments.

- Delayed treatment led to leg amputation

Samah Abu Odeh (33), a resident of Beit Hanoun, was injured in the leg on Nov. 18 during an attack on the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Al-Fahura School in the Gaza Strip.

Due to ambulance delays post-attack, Abu Odeh bled for three hours. At Indonesia Hospital, she waited another four hours for medical intervention due to the high patient volume.

Due to delays, Abu Odeh's leg developed gangrene and was amputated. She hasn't received treatment for 10 days, and his painkillers don't provide relief for nighttime sleep.

"My transfer from the north to the south was difficult, as the Israeli army stopped me for 6 hours at the checkpoint, searched everyone individually, and conducted an investigation with us, and did not take into account my health condition," Abu Odeh told Anadolu.

She stressed the worsening bed capacity in southern hospitals and the need for hospital visits to complete the treatment of his amputated leg.

- 'Army dragged me'

Ali Al-Mughrabi told Anadolu that he was injured in the leg during a bombing while burying the attack victims was transferred to Indonesia Hospital.

Yet, the bombing continued at the hospital. In an attack on his room, 7 people died, but he survived.

Al-Mughrabi's troubles persisted as he faced mistreatment from Israeli soldiers while heading south after the hospital evacuation.

"While we were leaving from northern Gaza to southern Gaza, the Israeli army conducted an interrogation with us that lasted an hour and dragged me to the ground," he said.

- Left waiting in cold

Mahmoud Hasnat, brought from Indonesia Hospital to Jenin School, recounted Israeli soldiers subjecting them to prolonged waiting in the cold and interrogation on the way.

Hasnat, who lost his wife and daughter and got injured, arrived at Jenin School in Rafah with his 8-year-old son.

He emphasized the necessity of going to the hospital to treat his wounds.

- Patients evacuated with inadequate medical transport

Doctor Muhammad Shaaban, the Chief of the Emergency Department at Indonesia Hospital, stated that the Israeli army besieged the hospital and targeted the oxygen unit.

He explained, "Due to the targeting of the oxygen unit, we lose 5-6 patients in the intensive care unit every day."

Shaaban stated that the Israeli army requested the hospital's evacuation and patient transfer to the south.

He mentioned contacting the Red Cross and highlighted that patients were transported in inadequate medical vehicles, worsening health conditions.

"During our displacement to the south, we spent 5 hours with patients who needed medical care, and the army searched us, assaulted us, and conducted a field investigation with us brutally," he added.

Due to southern hospitals being full, he said that they had to place patients and the injured in a school without the necessary medical equipment.