Several hospitals in Gaza warned of a collapse of the civilian systems, including the public health system, and announced that the large number of casualties made it difficult to absorb the wounded and treat existing patients. The director of the European Hospital in Khan Yunis said: "The situation is catastrophic, dozens of wounded and sick people are lying on the floor, two paramedics were injured in an Israeli bombing, and there are wounded in the streets who are unable to reach the hospital for treatment."
Gaza's Ministry of Health said patients with a number of chronic diseases, such as hemophilia and kidneys, remained untreated and complained of delays in the entry of medicines and medical equipment. The hospital in Deir al-Balah noted that "the number of casualties is five times the number of existing beds, many are being treated on the floor." Gaza reported that on Saturday, coordination was made to remove ten rescue vehicles from central Gaza to Gaza City to evacuate the wounded and provide medical equipment. The Palestinian Red Crescent announced that its teams in Gaza would receive 11 rescue vehicles donated from Turkey and 100 truckloads of humanitarian and medical supplies from the Egyptian Red Crescent through the Rafah crossing.
IDF forces near Shifa Hospital, photo: AP
More than 130 Palestinians killed were evacuated to Shuhada al-Aqsa hospitals in Deir al-Balah and Nasser hospitals in Khan Yunis, as a result of attacks in central and southern Gaza over the past <> hours, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. However, the director of Nasser Hospital announced during the day that "control over the number of casualties arriving at the medical center has been lost." The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry also said: "We are unable to arrive at accurate statistics on the number of dead and wounded in Gaza and northern Gaza due to the large number of casualties." Throughout the day, the military-terrorist wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad issued announcements about fighting on the ground in the Khan Yunis area, in Gaza City itself and south of it, as well as in the northern Gaza Strip.
Reports from Gaza cities indicate that chaos occurs in the streets every time food is distributed or aid trucks pass. The UNRWA operational director warned today that civilian order in Gaza is collapsing: "aid convoys are looted and stones are thrown at UN vehicles," he said. Residents were seen attacking vehicles unloading goods, or alternatively waiting for hours in crowded conditions to receive basic goods. This is reportedly happening while Hamas operatives have been documented looting goods and taking equipment and products that are supposed to reach the people and civilians.
UN World Food Programme representatives said: "People in Gaza suffer from disease and food shortages." According to a UNICEF representative: "Children in Gaza drink undrinkable water, there are reports indicating that residents drink seawater. The dust created by the bombings causes respiratory problems." Another UN representative noted that "about half of Gaza's residents are suffering from hunger."
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