Medics and patients, including babies, stranded as battles rage around Gaza hospitals Meta Description: Thousands of Palestinians, including critically wounded patients and newborns, are stranded in Gaza hospitals as battles between Israel and Hamas intensify. Tag: Personal Injury Law Featured Image: Stranded patients in hospital KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — As battles between Israel and Hamas continue to escalate in Gaza, thousands of Palestinians, including critically wounded patients and newborns, are trapped in hospitals with dwindling supplies and no electricity. The situation has become dire, with health officials reporting that some of the last perceived safe places in northern Gaza have become battlegrounds, forcing residents to flee. The ongoing conflict has disrupted the functioning of hospitals, leaving patients and caregivers without proper medical care. The International Committee of the Red Cross has attempted to evacuate patients and staff from one hospital, but had to turn back due to shelling and fighting. Both sides are using the plight of hospitals to further their own narratives, but the consequences for civilians are devastating. The Israeli military has urged Palestinians to flee to the south on foot through safe corridors, with the goal of separating civilians from Hamas militants. However, this strategy has resulted in over two-thirds of Gaza’s population being displaced from their homes. Shifa Hospital, the largest hospital in Gaza, has seen thousands of people fleeing over the weekend as Israeli troops encircled it. While some patients and displaced individuals were able to escape, hundreds still remain in the hospital. World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has stated that Shifa Hospital is no longer functioning as a hospital. One of the most alarming consequences of the battles around hospitals is the loss of power. Shifa Hospital’s incubators have lost power, putting premature babies at risk of dying without proper temperature regulation. The Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza released a photo showing premature babies wrapped in blankets together on a bed to keep them warm. The situation is dire, with four babies delivered by cesarean section after their mothers died. The lack of electricity also means that life-saving equipment cannot function, putting the lives of patients at risk. The Red Cross has faced challenges in evacuating patients, staff, and displaced individuals from Al-Quds hospital, which had to shut down due to a lack of fuel. The evacuation convoy had to turn back due to the ongoing shelling and fighting. Both sides have seized on the situation in hospitals to further their own narratives. Israel claims that Hamas militants are using hospitals as hiding places, pointing to maps that allegedly show the militants’ locations within the hospital complex. However, no evidence has been provided to support these claims. Hamas and hospital staff deny these allegations. International law grants hospitals special protection during times of war, but hospitals can lose these protections if they are used to hide fighters or store weapons. The International Committee of the Red Cross emphasizes that there must be ample warning to allow for the evacuation of staff and patients. Additionally, if the harm to civilians from an attack is disproportionate to the military objective, it is considered illegal under international law. The situation in Shifa Hospital has worsened after thousands of people fled over the weekend. Currently, around 650 patients and 500 staff remain in the hospital, along with approximately 2,500 displaced Palestinians seeking shelter. The lack of fuel has caused the emergency generator to run out, resulting in the deaths of 32 patients, including three babies. Another 36 babies, as well as other patients, are at risk of dying without functioning life-saving equipment. The U.S. has called for temporary pauses in the conflict to allow aid to be distributed more widely. Israel has agreed to daily windows for civilians to flee northern Gaza, but continues to strike what it claims are militant targets across the territory. The ongoing conflict has left tens of thousands of people in the north trapped and facing dire circumstances. The situation in Gaza is a humanitarian crisis, with civilians suffering the most. The ongoing battles around hospitals have left patients and caregivers in a perilous situation. It is crucial that the international community takes immediate action to address the plight of those trapped in hospitals and provide the necessary support to alleviate their suffering.