‘Kamal Adwan Hospital under heavy gunfire directed at intensive care unit and the maternity ward’

Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, told Middle East Eye that one of Gaza’s last remaining hospitals is “under heavy gunfire directed at the hospital and its departments. Bullets penetrated the intensive care unit, the maternity department, and the specialised surgery department.”

Additionally, Israeli forces targeted one of the generators and “completely put it out of service due to a fire. There were also attempts to hit the fuel tank, but fortunately, it did not explode,” added Safiya.

“Currently, we have 91 hospitalised patients, including adults, children, and women. We are still providing the minimum level of service,” he added.

“We have called on the international community for protection and humanitarian assistance, requesting the opening of humanitarian corridors to bring in what is needed. However, so far, we have received only a very small amount of aid, and we continue to appeal for protection,” said Safiya.

The ongoing Israeli bombardment of medical centres, including the Kamal Adwan facility, has been condemned by World Health Organisation (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Describing the situation as “deeply worrisome,” he called for an “immediate ceasefire” in the region, which has endured over 70 days of siege.

Reporting by Ahmed Dermly a Palestinian journalist in the besieged Gaza Strip.