Half of Gaza’s hospitals out of service, says Palestinian Health Ministry

Gaza, Nov 2: The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza has said that 16 out of the total 32 hospitals in the Hamas-controlled enclave are out of service due to the constant Israeli airstrikes and severe shortage of fuel.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry said that the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital, which is the leading cancer hospital in Gaza, has stopped operating, CNN reported.
Palestinian Health Minister Mai al-Kaila said that at least 70 patients in the hospital are under critical condition, while the lives of about 2,000 other cancer patients are also under serious threat amid “catastrophic health conditions” due to the raging conflict between the Hamas and Israel.
On Monday, the hospital’s director Sobhi Skaik told CNN that the centre of the facility had been destroyed as a result of an airtsike while the thord floor suffered a direct hit causing damage to oxygen and water supplies, although there were no injuries or deaths. But the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) told CNN on Tuesday that it “did not strike Gaza’s Turkish-Palestinian Friendship hospital”, without providing any further information.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Health Ministry in its statement on Wednesday also warned that the Al Shifa Medical Complex, the largest hospital in Gaza, could be out of service very soon.
“Al Shifa Medical Complex will stop working in less than 24 hours due to running out of fuel,” the Ministry said, adding that the facility’s vicinity has been repeatedly hit by Israeli airstrikes.
On Wednesday night, the Al Hilo Hospital was reportedly struck by shelling, the UN Office for the Coordiantion of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said. The hospital had absorbed and replaced Al Shifa hospital’s maternity ward, which is being used now to treat injured persons. However, Israel has reiterated that there is no fuel shortage in Gaza. (IANS)