The catastrophe of the Shifa Medical Complex in Gaza worsened today, Monday, as Israel continues to bomb its surroundings, besiege it from all sides, and prevent it from being supplied with fuel.

The authorities in Gaza reported that 100 bodies are currently decomposing in the compound’s courtyard, while dozens of premature babies and intensive care patients died as a result of the power outage resulting from the depletion of fuel.

The Director-General of the Ministry of Health in the Gaza Strip told Al Jazeera, "About 100 bodies are decomposing in the yard of Al-Shifa Hospital, and we cannot bury them."

He added that about 200 families are currently in the vicinity of Al-Shifa Hospital and cannot move from their homes.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza announced that the death toll since the day before yesterday, Saturday, had risen to 34 in Al-Shifa Hospital.

The Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Yousef Abu Al-Rish, confirmed, “The number of deaths has risen to 27 patients in intensive care, and 7 premature newborns due to the power outage.”

Al-Quds Hospital

For its part, the Palestine Red Crescent Society announced - today, Monday - the cessation of the convoy of vehicles designated to evacuate patients and medical staff from Al-Quds Hospital in the Central Governorate, as a result of the dangerous conditions in the vicinity of the hospital.

The association said that heavy gunfire in the vicinity of the hospital located in the Tal al-Hawa area in Gaza City is continuing, noting that the sounds of shelling and violent explosions continue to be heard in the area.

She explained that the convoy of vehicles that set off from the southern Gaza Strip towards the hospital, accompanied by the Red Cross to ensure the evacuation of patients and medical staff, stopped in the Central Governorate, until it was able to continue on its way due to the dangerous conditions in the vicinity of the hospital.

Earlier, the association said - in a separate publication - that Israeli vehicles and tanks are stationed in the vicinity of Al-Quds Hospital from all sides, and that sounds of continuous shelling are being heard, in light of the preparations to evacuate the hospital with its patients and wounded, and their accompanying medical personnel.

Yesterday, Sunday, the association announced that the hospital it runs in Gaza had been out of service, due to the exhaustion of fuel and a power outage.

Source: Al Jazeera + agencies