The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza reported a tragic rise in the death toll at Al-Shifa hospital, reaching 34 since the weekend due to fuel shortages. Among the victims are 27 adult intensive care patients and seven infants, according to Youssef Abu Rish, the deputy health minister in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip.
Hospitals in the heaviest north Gaza fighting zone are now out of service, exacerbating the crisis. The Hamas-run health ministry stated that the number of patients dying in the largest medical center, Al-Shifa hospital, has increased. Israel claims that Hamas has established military headquarters in tunnels beneath the hospital complex, while UN agencies and doctors warn of civilian casualties.
The situation at Al-Shifa hospital worsens with reports of “violent fighting,” overnight bombardments, and gunfire, turning the facility into an urban war zone. Youssef Abu Rish confirmed that all hospitals in the north of Gaza are “out of service,” with the World Health Organization expressing concern for the 3,000 people inside Al-Shifa without adequate fuel, water, or food.
WHO director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the dire conditions, stating, “Regrettably, the hospital is not functioning as a hospital anymore.” International pressure mounts on Israel to minimize civilian suffering as the conflict persists, with the Israeli army continuing its campaign against Hamas.
Amid heavy fighting, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell urged Israel to show “maximum restraint,” condemning Hamas for using hospitals and civilians as shields. The IDF reported ongoing raids targeting terrorist infrastructure in civilian-populated areas, including schools and residences.
The humanitarian disaster unfolds as international attention focuses on the plight of Palestinians, with protests held worldwide. The UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA reports that almost 1.6 million people, about two-thirds of Gaza’s population, have been internally displaced since October 7.
As the conflict continues, concerns grow for the sick and injured, with uncertainty about provisions for their transport from Al-Shifa hospital. Israel’s military claims to provide a “self-evacuation corridor” while admitting the area remains a scene of “intense battles.” The Al-Shifa director refutes Israeli claims, stating that 300 liters of fuel would power generators for “no more than a quarter of an hour.”
