Thousands of displaced and sick people, many of whom are in critical condition, do not have ambulances or means of transportation.
Israeli forces gave doctors, patients and displaced people at Gaza’s Shifa Hospital one hour to evacuate the medical complex on Saturday, causing a “massive state of panic and fear,” Al Jazeera’s Youmna Al-Sayed reported.
A medical source in Al-Shifa told Al Jazeera that it is “impossible” to evacuate because the facility, which was bombed and besieged by Israeli forces days ago, contains about 7,000 people, including patients in critical condition.
“They don’t have any ambulances to transport patients and premature babies to the south [of Gaza]Al-Sayed said in his report from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza.
“It is what it is [the source] “Crisis. Let’s ask them to evacuate within one hour.”
Those in Shifa include at least 300 patients, some or most of whom are in serious or critical condition, in addition to thousands of displaced families.
Al-Sayed added that the number also includes “at least 35 premature babies who have been outside incubators for eight days due to lack of oxygen and lack of electricity.” There were 39 children left without foster care; Our correspondent added that four died late on Friday and five are now in serious condition.
“There is no transportation in Gaza City and the north due to the lack of fuel. So it is expected that people will be evacuated on foot. Doctors tell us that it is impossible to evacuate with this many people on foot.
After the Israeli deadline expired, Al-Sayed said that the doctors informed the Israeli army that they would not evacuate their patients and abandon them, and none of the displaced families inside the hospital have left so far.
She said that medical professionals said: “As long as the IDF does not provide ambulances to transport these patients outside Shifa, there will be no evacuation of patients or doctors who will not leave their patients behind,” and she added that the IDF did not respond to the doctors.
Al-Sayed said that the Israeli army ordered people to evacuate via Al-Rashid Street, “not the usual street or route that people who are evacuated to the south are supposed to take, they usually take Salah Al-Din Street.”
She added: “The Israeli army did not provide them with any other solutions, nor any means of transportation, nor any fuel for ambulances, or any cars to transport these patients, premature babies, and displaced families to the south, as they were ordered to do.” He added.
The hospital has been without food, water, electricity and oxygen for at least a week, while Israeli troops and tanks have raided the facility over the past two days.
Israel claimed that Hamas had a command center under the hospital, but found no evidence to support its claim. Hamas and hospital workers have long rejected Israeli assertions.
This is a developing story. More to follow.
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