You get to choose whether to remotely see and hear a small glimpse of what people in Gaza are suffering from. They do not get to choose whether or not to experience it firsthand.
Violence Blur
Shelling Volume
“ Civilian hospitals organized to give care to the wounded and sick, the infirm and maternity cases, may in no circumstances be the object of attack, but shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict.” Protocol additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts. (1977). Article 53.
According to the fourth Geneva Convention Art 18, hospitals are considered protected civilian structures, and it shall at all times be respected and protected by the Parties to the conflict.
Regrettably, Israel has not complied with these laws. Numerous instances have been documented where hospitals have suffered severe damage, and there have been reports of ambulances being targeted in close proximity to hospitals.
On November 3, outside Al-Shifa hospital, a convoy of ambulances was targeted by Israel, resulting in one ambulance being directly hit. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claimed that the ambulance was being used by Hamas to transport militants. A video from inside the ambulance shows a wounded woman in a hospital gown, with no visible weapons present.
Several hospitals that have suffered damage during the bombardment include Al-Shifa hospital, Al-Rantisi pediatric hospital, Indonesian hospital, Al-Quds hospital, Psychiatric hospital, Al-Nasr children's hospital, International eye hospital, and Palestinian Medical Relief Centre for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled. You can read more about each of these instance on The Guardian.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that, as of November 10, 2023, 18 out of 36 hospitals and 46 out of 72 primary care clinics have been compelled to cease operations. And as of December 27,2023, WHO reported that Gaza has 13 partially functioning hospitals, 2 minimally functioning ones, and 21 that are not functioning at all. This forced closure is a result of both direct attacks causing damage and the lack of electricity and fuel. These attacks, coupled with Israel's decisions to restrict the supply of electricity, water, and humanitarian aid to Gaza, have significantly hindered access to healthcare.
Due to Israel's blockade, hospitals in Gaza have been severely constrained, leading to shortages of essential medications and basic equipment. While limited humanitarian aid has been allowed into Gaza by Israeli authorities, the entry of fuel, which is crucial for powering hospital generators, continues to be blocked.
According to the reports, doctors in Gaza have been forced to operate on patients without sufficient anaesthetics, and to use clothes for bandages, vinegar for antiseptic, sewing needles for surgical ones. It has been reported that doctors perform emergency C-sections without anaesthetics ; according to Al Jazeera Arabic, there have also been instances of women having to undergo hysterectomies to save their lives.
On October 22, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) expressed grave concern about the impact of the blockade. They noted that 120 newborn children were in incubators, 70 of whom required mechanical ventilation. The incubators and ventilators cannot operate without a stable electricity supply.
