One-third of people in Gaza remain unable to flee
Survival of 130 newborns in crisis due to hospital power shortage
UN agency: “We will run out of fuel within 3 days”
Concerns about the spread of skin diseases due to lack of drinking water
“I am worried that if the generator stops, the babies in the (incubator) ward will not be able to breathe on their own and will die.”
On the 23rd (local time), Iyad Abu Zahar, director of Al-Aqsa Hospital in the Gaza Strip, told the Associated Press that newborns protected in incubators could soon be in danger of life due to lack of power. According to a local relief organization, approximately 130 premature babies are currently receiving treatment in incubators in six wards in the Gaza Strip. With the Gaza Strip’s power capacity currently running out, it is predicted that they will face a survival crisis if additional power cannot be supplied.
As Israel’s strict evacuation orders continue, the procession of refugees in the Gaza Strip continues. The Gaza Strip’s Health Ministry, which is controlled by the Palestinian armed group Hamas, said the number of refugees in the Gaza Strip reached 1.4 million, or two-thirds of the total population (2.2 million).
About half of the refugees, about 685,000 people, moved to family homes in other areas, and about 544,000 people moved to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) schools. About 100,000 people are staying in religious facilities such as mosques and churches, and about 70,000 people are staying at state schools.
However, according to the New York Times (NYT), hundreds of thousands of Gaza residents are still staying in their existing residences. This is because there are no means of transportation or fuel, and major roads in the district have been destroyed, making evacuation costs soaring. In addition, there are many people who return from refuge due to the risk of additional air raids or stay at home for reasons such as hospital treatment.
In the Gaza Strip, concerns about secondary damage, such as infectious diseases, are spreading due to a lack of relief supplies. In a statement, UNRWA warned of a humanitarian crisis: “Within three days, we will run out of fuel in Gaza. Without fuel, there will be no water, no functioning hospitals and bakeries.”
In order to secure as much drinking water as possible, residents are minimizing tasks that require water, such as washing clothes or showering, but with temperatures exceeding 30 degrees, many people are unable to wash, leading to the spread of diseases such as skin diseases. UNRWA warned that if emergency humanitarian aid is not provided, deadly epidemics such as cholera will be triggered.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.