By Hosni Nadim
GAZA CITY, Palestine (AA) - At least three patients died at the Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip after the Israeli army prevented oxygen from entering the hospital, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said on Sunday.
“The Israeli occupation forces claim to have delivered oxygen cylinders to Al-Amal Hospital, but in reality, they have prevented oxygen from reaching the hospital for over a week, resulting in the deaths of three patients, despite continuous coordination efforts with international organizations,” the Red Crescent said in a statement.
The Red Crescent denied that Israeli forces brought any medical equipment into the hospital.
“During their raid on the hospital yesterday (Saturday), the occupation forces destroyed medical equipment, assaulted staff, and arrested nine medical and administrative staff, along with four wounded individuals and five patients' companions,” it added.
The society said “the occupation continues to block the entry of necessary fuel for the hospital's electricity generators, despite the fuel supply running out in two days, posing a threat of shutdown.”
“This occurs amid the ongoing siege for the 21st consecutive day, affecting patients, wounded individuals, and medical and administrative staff,” it added.
It also stressed that “the Israeli army's portrayal of the deliberate targeting of Al-Amal Hospital and its medical staff is false and misleading,” noting that “according to international humanitarian law, hospitals, medical facilities, and healthcare workers must be protected.”
There was no comment from the Israeli army regarding the Palestinian Red Crescent’s statements.
Flouting the provisional ruling of the International Court of Justice, Israel continues its onslaught on the Gaza Strip where at least 28,176 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 67,784 injured since Oct. 7, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Israel has pounded the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas, which Tel Aviv says killed nearly 1,200 people.
The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza’s population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave’s infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.
* Writing by Ikram Kouachi