Hospitals in Gaza systematically attacked: 'Help us before it's too late'

Young men sift through burnt cardboard boxes in the warehouse of the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, Gaza, which was recently bombed by Israel. A Reuters video shows staff moving charred pallets and wiping ash off saline bottles, searching for what remains of medical supplies.

'We are watching our work turn to ashes,' a medic told Medical Aid for Palestinians. The Nasser Hospital was also targeted by an Israeli attack last week. Other hospitals, including the Indonesian Hospital in the north and the European Hospital in the south, were also attacked.

After the attack on the European Hospital, the Red Cross field hospital in Rafah wanted to take in patients. 'But due to fuel shortages, there was no way to transport them. Ambulances barely run anymore,' said Danielle Brouwer of the Red Cross.

According to Gaza authorities, all 36 hospitals have been targeted by Israeli attacks over the past year and a half, with none fully operational. Many hospitals, like Kamal Adwan and Beit Hanoon in the north, have been forced to close entirely. The Indonesian Hospital, now under siege, is the only functioning medical facility in the area.

Dr. Marwan Al-Sultan, the hospital director, described the situation as 'terrifying,' with patients and staff trapped inside. 'Help us before it's too late,' he pleaded.

Maternity care has also collapsed, with only two hospitals in Gaza City offering limited services. The UN estimates that around 50,000 babies have been born in Gaza since the war began, with thousands lacking access to critical care.

Experts warn that the deliberate destruction of healthcare violates international law and may constitute genocide under the Geneva Convention.