The health system in Gaza has collapsed, leaving more than 100,000 wounded people without adequate care and at least 17,000 in urgent need of evacuation abroad, according to Salah Abdel Shafi, the Palestinian ambassador to Vienna.
In an interview with RIA Novosti, Ambassador Shafi revealed the staggering scale of the medical catastrophe, stating that “out of 36 hospitals, only eight are partially functioning.” The rest, he confirmed, have been completely or largely destroyed, eliminating any local capacity to treat the injured.
The crisis extends far beyond healthcare. Shafi emphasized that infrastructure across the strip has been devastated, with an “acute shortage of medical supplies and medicine.” He earlier reported that roughly 80% of the Gaza Strip is in ruins, forcing over a million people to live in tents or exposed to the elements.
The humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating as winter sets in. The Israeli occupation continues to block essential supplies, including heating units, sanitary facilities, tents, mattresses, and blankets. With temperatures dropping and rain worsening conditions, more than 288,000 displaced families are facing extreme hardship.
Hamas Urges Global Action to Break the Siege
In a statement released on Monday, Hamas called on Arab nations and people of conscience worldwide to intensify pressure on the Israeli occupation and its backers. The movement demanded an immediate halt to the aggression, a full lifting of the blockade on Gaza, and the opening of humanitarian crossings.
Hamas highlighted the rapidly worsening conditions Palestinians face after two years of what it described as a “genocide war.” The statement detailed severe shortages of food, medicine, clean water, and shelter, coupled with the total collapse of the healthcare system.
These dire circumstances pose an immediate threat to civilians, particularly women and children, as increased rainfall and cold weather arrive. The movement stressed that urgent intervention is required to rescue civilians and facilitate the entry of vital aid, tents, and prefabricated shelters.
Source: Agencies (translated and edited by Al-Manar English Website)
