GAZA CITY, Palestine 

The director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, the facility that was temporarily forced out of service due to Israeli siege, has warned of a serious humanitarian catastrophe in northern Gaza due to a shortage of medicines and other health supplies.

Israel has pounded the enclave since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023. Besides killing more than 37,000 Palestinians since then, the Israeli military campaign has turned much of the enclave of 2.3 million people into ruins, leaving most civilians homeless and at risk of famine.

“The situation in Gaza and the northern governorates is dire. We are operating at minimal capacity due to a lack of medical supplies, consumables, and medicines,” Hossam Abu Safiya told Anadolu.

“The specter of famine is sweeping through the region again, with a lack of food with diverse nutritional values. The only available food is flour, which represents just one part of the nutritional pyramid essential for the human body,” he added.

He said that as many as 214 children with signs of malnutrition were admitted to the hospital in last two weeks. “Among them, over 50 cases were suffering from advanced malnutrition, and six were in critical condition and are being treated in the intensive care unit.”

“These children are surviving solely on intravenous fluids, lacking access to milk or specialized food, putting their lives at risk,” he added.

Abu Safiya emphasized that "the lack of medicines and health supplies is impeding the provision of essential services to the sick population," highlighting that the available resources "are remnants from the Health Ministry inventory."

He cautioned about the potential spread of diseases and epidemics due to the accumulation of waste in the streets and sewage overflow.

The doctor urged the international community to "intervene to compel Israel to open the crossings and allow essential supplies into Gaza in order to salvage what remains possible."

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi