On 25 July, once again, our medical teams in Gaza, Palestine, treated patients with devastating blast injuries caused by Israeli forces’ airstrikes. Seven airstrikes hit different areas of the Strip between 12 and 6 pm. A total of eight wounded patients were referred to the MSF field hospital in Al Zawayda, Deir Al Balah.
In the last 30 days, MSF teams at this field hospital have treated 49 patients injured in Israeli airstrikes or by Israeli snipers. At least 15 of them were children.
One patient we received on Saturday was so badly injured that we needed to operate on him immediately. We had to perform a three-limb amputation. He also completely lost his vision in one eye, and as the other eye has significant trauma, he will most probably be blind for the rest of his life. Less than two hours later, another airstrike hit in Deir el-Balah, close to Al-Aqsa Hospital. And from that casualty we sent our ambulances twice to pick up six people in total. What the medical team keep saying, is that it’s not a ceasefire at all.
Dr Randa Masoud
Project medical coordinator
The strike close to Al-Aqsa hit the entrance of the Hospital, killing two people and injuring 10. As well as treating patients injured in this strike, later that day, additional people were referred to our field hospital from Al-Aqsa hospital as all their surgical beds were full.
The protection of healthcare facilities must be respected. Every attack on or around a health facility puts the lives of patients, caregivers and medical staff at risk, while disrupting the delivery of lifesaving care for everyone who depends on it.
Across Palestine, people are under constant attack from the Israeli forces. They are being physically wounded, suffering profound psychological damage, and are blocked from accessing care.
