Médecins Sans Frontières: Gaza patients and medical staff 'trapped in hospitals under fire'
Médecins Sans Frontièreshas warned that patients and medical staff in Gaza are “trapped in hospitals under fire” and called on the “Israeli government to cease this unrelenting assault on Gaza’s health system”.
In a statement released on Saturday, the humanitarian organization said:
Over the past 24 hours, hospitals in Gaza have been under relentless bombardment. Al-Shifa hospital complex, the biggest health facility where MSF staff are still working, has been hit several times, including the maternity and outpatient departments, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.
The hostilities around the hospital have not stopped. MSF teams and hundreds of patients are still inside Al-Shifa hospital. MSF urgently reiterates its calls to stop the attacks against hospitals, for an immediate ceasefire and for the protection of medical facilities, medical staff and patients.
Dr. Mohammed Obeid, an MSF surgeon at Dar al-Shifa hospital, said:
There are a lot of patients already operated on and they cannot walk. They cannot evacuate … We need an ambulance to move them, we don’t have ambulances to evacuate all of these patients.
We cannot leave because from [yesterday] morning until now, we operated on about 25 patients. If I am not here or the other surgeon, who will take care of the patients? There is a patient who needs surgery, another one is already sleeping [under anesthesia].
MSF also said that it has lost contact with a surgeon working and sheltering at al-Quds hospital with his family.
Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza appeared to be reaching a key moment, with close-quarter battles raging around the most important hospital in the heart of its biggest city. Residents said Israeli forces had been fighting Hamas gunmen all night and throughout Saturday in the neighbourhood in Gaza City where the al-Shifa hospital is located, considered a key strategic area.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back against growing international calls for a ceasefire, saying Israel’s battle to crush Gaza’s ruling Hamas militants would continue with “full force”. A ceasefire would be possible only if all 239 hostages held by militants in Gaza are released, Netanyahu said in a televised address.
The UN undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator has released a statement saying: “Hospitals must be places of greater safety, not of war.” In a tweet on Saturday, UN aid chief Martin Griffiths said: “There can be no justification for acts of war in healthcare facilities, leaving them with no power, food or water, and shooting at patients and civilians trying to flee.”
Médecins Sans Frontièreshas warned that patients and medical staff in Gaza are “trapped in hospitals under fire” and called on the “Israeli government to cease this unrelenting assault on Gaza’s health system”. In a statement released on Saturday, the humanitarian organization said: “MSF urgently reiterates its calls to stop the attacks against hospitals, for an immediate ceasefire and for the protection of medical facilities, medical staff and patients.”
The Israeli military will help evacuate babies trapped in Gaza’s Dar al-Shifa hospital on Sunday, the chief Israeli military spokesperson rear admiral Daniel Hagari said on Saturday. “The staff of the Shifa hospital has requested that tomorrow we help the babies in the pediatric department to get to a safer hospital. We will provide the assistance needed,” Hagari told a news conference.
Two premature babies have died due to power cuts at al-Shifa hospital, Physicians for Human Rights Israel said on Saturday. “As a result of the lack of electricity, we can report that the neonatal intensive care unit has stopped working. Two premature infants have died, and there is a real risk to the lives of 37 other premature infants” at Al-Shifa hospital, the group said, citing doctors at the hospital, Agence France-Presse reports.
Netanyahu announced the deaths of five more Israeli soldiers in Gaza. The Israeli military said 46 had been killed since its ground operations there began.
Israel’s three major TV news channels, without citing named sources, said there was some progress toward a deal to free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Netanyahu said he would not discuss details of any possible deal, which according to N12 News would involve 50 to 100 women, children and elderly being released in stages during a three to five day pause in fighting.
The head of Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah party said its armed wing had used new types of weapons and struck new targets in Israel, and pledged that the front against its sworn enemy would remain active. In a televised address, only his second speech since the conflict between Israel and Hamas began in October, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said Hezbollah had shown “a quantitative improvement in the number of operations, the size and the number of targets, as well as an increase in the type of weapons”.
Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant warned Hezbollah not to escalate fighting along the border. “Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon into a war that might happen,” Gallant told troops in a video aired by Israeli television channels.
Arab and Muslim leaders condemned Israeli forces’ “barbaric” actions in Gaza but declined to approve punitive economic and political steps against the country at an extraordinary summit of Arab-Islamic leaders in Saudi Arabia, highlighting regional divisions. The final declaration on Saturday rejected Israeli claims that it is acting in “self-defence” and demanded that the UN security council adopt “a decisive and binding resolution” to halt Israel’s “aggression”.
Iran’s president Ebrahim Raisi has called on Islamic governments to designate Israel’s military a “terrorist organisation”, citing its current operations in the Gaza Strip. “Islamic governments should designate the army of the occupying and aggressor regime as a terrorist organisation,” Raisi told the summit in Saudi Arabia.
Anti-war protesters gathered in Tel Aviv late Saturday to call for a ceasefire and the release of hostages by Hamas. Many demonstrators carried signs reading, “Israelis for ceasefire,” “War has no winners” and “Only peace talks with solve this”.
Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner general of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), has urged the joint Arab-Islamic summit to “act now to change the trajectory” of the crisis in Gaza. Lazzarini called for support for a humanitarian ceasefire, a continuous flow of humanitarian aid and support for the UNRWA.
Hundreds of thousands of people marched peacefully through central London yesterday to protest against Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza. The Metropolitan police said about 300,000 people had converged on the capital from all parts of the country, while organisers of the pro-Palestinian event put the number closer to 800,000 and claimed it was one of the biggest marches in British history.
In case you missed our live blog on the London protests earlier, the Metropolitan police said around 300,000 people had converged on the UK capital, while organisers of the event put the number closer to 800,000 and claimed it was one of the biggest marches in British history.
The attendance will add to political pressure on both the prime minister Rishi Sunak and the Labour leader Keir Starmer to back calls for a ceasefire in the conflict.
Around 150 pro-Palestinian demonstrators were detained by police in Grosvenor Place, Belgravia in the evening. According to the Met, the breakaway group from the main march were firing fireworks and many were wearing face coverings. Arrests were made after some of the fireworks struck officers in the face.
Matt Twist, assistant commissioner at the Met, said a further 126 people had been arrested as police sought to stop a group of far-right counter-protesters from ambushing the main rally. Scuffles broke out as police attempted to stop a crowd of far-right activists, Islamophobes and football supporters carrying St George’s flags.
In a statement, he called the extreme violence from rightwing protestors towards the police “extraordinary” and “deeply concerning”.
Protesters take part in the pro-Palestine march in London. Photograph: Sophie Lewis/Pathos/Shutterstock
Rishi Sunak condemned “violent scenes” from the far-right group the English Defence League and associated groups and “Hamas sympathisers”.
Three young Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said on Saturday.
One of those killed was from the town of Jenin while the other two were from Arraba, a town to the southwest, Reuters reports.
Levels of violence in the occupied West Bank have been rising fast. You can read Jason Burke’s report here about how even though Jenin has long been a flashpoint between Hamas and Israeli security forces, clashes have intensified dramatically in the last month.
Here are some images coming through the newswires of hundreds of thousands of demonstrators that marched around the world over the weekend in pro-Palestine rallies amid Israel’s deadly airstrikes across Gaza that have killed over 11,000 Palestinians within the last month:
Hundreds of thousands of people march for Palestine in London, England, UK - 11 Nov 2023 Photograph: Vuk Valcic/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock
Thousands of demonstrators protesting against the Israeli attacks against Gaza in response to the attack by the Islamist movement Hamas from October 7 enlighten their mobile phones during a demonstration in support of the Palestine people. Barcelona, Spain - 11 Nov 2023 Photograph: Shutterstock
Women and children march to stage a demonstration against Israel's bombardments on Gaza Strip, in Ankara, Turkiye on November 11, 2023. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu/Getty Images
People hold a placard in a demonstration demanding an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and in support of Palestinians in Gaza, as the conflict between Israel and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas continues, in Paris, France, November 11, 2023. Placard reads: "Cease fire!". Photograph: Claudia Greco/Reuters
Thousands of pro-Palestinians demonstrators, part of a 'Flood Manhattan for Gaza' protest, march from Columbus Circle to Grand Central in New York, United States on November 10, 2023. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu/Getty Images
Demonstrators hold up placards with the lettering reading 'Oh sorry, you are tired of seeing it - they are tired of living it' (L), 'Palestine is tired of bearing the consequences of German Nazi crimes against 6 million Jews' (C), and others as they take part in a rally in solidarity with Palestinians at Oranienplatz Square in Berlin's Kreuzberg district, Germany, on November 11, 2023. Photograph: Tobias Schwarz/AFP/Getty Images
Pro-Palestine protestests hold a rally at Port Botany Boat Ramp. 'Stop the Genocide in Gaza - block the Zim boat' rally, Port Botany Boat Ramp, Sydney, NSW, Australia - 11 Nov 2023 Photograph: Richard Milnes/Shutterstock
Infants at Gaza’s Al Quds hospital are facing dehydration due to a shortage of breast milk alternatives, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society announced on Saturday.
👶Infants at Al-Quds Hospital are facing dehydration due to a shortage of breast milk alternatives.
Dr. Mohammed Obeid, a surgeon at Al Shifa hospital, shared his testimony with Médecins Sans Frontières today, saying:
“There is no electricty… There is no water. There is no food. Our team is exhausted. We had two neonatal patients die actually beause the incubator is not working because there is no electricity…
We are nearly sure that we are alone now. No one hears us...
The problem is to be sure that we can evacuate the neonatal patients because we have about 37 to 40 premature babies.”
"We are nearly sure that we are alone now. No one hears us... The problem is to be sure that we can evacuate the neonatal patients because we have about 37 to 40 premature babies."
Dr Mohammed Obeid, surgeon at Al-Shifa hospital, shares his testimony from today⤵️ pic.twitter.com/3oHC5GKzQ0
Here are some images coming through the newswires from Tel Aviv, where protestors took to the streets to call for the release of hostages by Hamas and a ceasefire as the Israeli government comes under increasing criticism over its escalating military campaign across Gaza that has killed more than 11,000 Palestinians.
Protesters take part in a demonstration calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas, at the Museum of Art in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 11 November 2023. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA
Israeli protesters stage a demonstration demanding an end of the Israeli army’s attacks on Gaza and a prisoner exchange in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 11 November 2023. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu/Getty Images
Israeli protesters stage a demonstration demanding an end to the Israeli army’s attacks on Gaza and a prisoner exchange in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 11 November 2023. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu/Getty Images
People take part in a protest demanding the release of hostages held in Gaza who were seized in the 7 October attack by Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on 11 November 2023. Photograph: Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters
An aerial view of people gathering to demand the government take action to secure the return of their relatives on the 33rd day of Israeli attacks, on 11 November 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu/Getty Images
People gather to demand the government take action to secure the return of their relatives on the 33rd day of Israeli attacks on 11 November 2023 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu/Getty Images
A protester holds up a banner depicting the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reading ‘impeachment now’ during a demonstration calling for the release of hostages held by Hamas, at the Museum of Art in Tel Aviv, Israel, 11 November 2023. Photograph: Neil Hall/EPA
Here is video of Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman delivering an address earlier today at the Saudi Arabia-hosted Arab-Islamic summit on Gaza:
The Kingdom affirms its categorical rejection of the continuing aggression, occupation and forced displacement of the people of Gaza and stresses that Israel bears responsibility for the crimes committed against Palestinian people and resources,.
Gaza’s border authority announced on Saturday that the Rafah land crossing into Egypt would reopen on Sunday for foreign passport holders and dependents.
Reuters reports:
The crossing between Gaza and Egypt’s Sinai peninsula is the only entry into the strip not controlled by Israel, and has been crucial for aid trucks and evacuees, who number in the thousands.
Evacuations from the Gaza Strip into Egypt, including for Palestinians needing urgent medical treatment, were suspended on Friday, Egyptian and Palestinian sources said, due to problems transporting medical evacuees from northern Gaza.
The border would begin operating at 9am local time (0700 GMT) for foreigners and medical evacuees, Egyptian sources said.
Here are some images coming through the newswires from Gaza where more than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli airstrikes while thousands more remain trapped in shelters and hospitals amid Israel’s deadly siege with scarce food, water and medical aid.
Palestinians push injured older people on a bed they took from the hospital as they flee with other Palestinian families in Gaza City and other parts of northern Gaza towards the southern areas amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas on 10 November 2023. Photograph: Ahmed Zakot/SOPA Images/Shutterstock
Palestinians evacuating to the southern Gaza Strip make their way along Salah al-Din Street in Bureij, on 11 November 2023. Photograph: Haitham Imad/EPA
Patients receive treatment at Dar al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City on 10 November 2023, amid ongoing battles between Israel and Hamas. Photograph: Khader Al Zanoun/AFP/Getty Images
People search for victims amid the rubble of houses hit by Israeli bombing in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on 11 November 2023. Photograph: Ismael Mohamad/UPI/Shutterstock
Civil defense teams and civilians conduct a search-and-rescue operation under the rubble of demolished buildings following Israeli attacks in Rafah, Gaza, on 11 November 2023. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu/Getty Images
Relatives of Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes mourn as they take a body from the morgue of An-Najjar hospital for a funeral ceremony in Rafah, Gaza, 11 November 2023. Photograph: Anadolu Agency/Anadolu/Getty Images
Internally displaced Palestinian who have fled their homes in the northern Gaza Strip due to intense Israeli military bombardment live in makeshift shelters erected on empty ground in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on 11 November 2023. Photograph: Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images
Here is Agence France-Presse’s report on the thousands of Palestinians trapped inside Gaza’s Dar al-Shifa hospital amid deadly Israeli strikes:
Thousands of displaced Palestinians looked to Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa, as a safe haven, but with Israeli strikes intensifying and the fighting reaching the gates of the compound, there seems nowhere for them to escape.
Ahmed al-Shawa, who sought refuge in the hospital, said he was afraid he would be “cut down by shrapnel,” if he stepped outside.
“The situation is very, very dangerous,” the 18-year-old from Gaza City said as the sound of explosions echoed in the background.
Crowds of people have crammed into the corridors of Al-Shifa to escape the fighting in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, adding to the overwhelming number of war casualties at the hospital.
The facility was hit repeatedly overnight in a new round of strikes that knocked out the power for several hours, its director said.
The outage had resulted in the death of two premature babies, the NGO Physicians for Human Rights Israel said, citing doctors inside the hospital.
Many of the displaced were afraid to leave the hospital, with medics including from Doctors Without Borders (MSF) saying they saw people being shot at as they attempted to flee the hospital.
“We are being killed here, please do something,” a nurse from MSF pleaded from inside the hospital’s basement, where he and his family were sheltering.
“The shelling is so close, my kids are crying and screaming in fear,” MSF cited the nurse as saying in a text message.
The Israeli military said “there is no shooting at the hospital” but acknowledged troops were engaged in clashes with Hamas militants around the complex.
Médecins Sans Frontières reports that medical staff in Gaza have become so overwhelmed by the amount of incoming patients that the surgical board used to keep track of upcoming surgeries has been erased and replaced with the following words:
“Whoever stays until the end will tell the story. We did what we could. Remember us.”
This photo was taken in late October by an MSF emergency physician working at Al Awda hospital in #Gaza. https://t.co/sABmZSuqtp
