Gaza's Nasser Hospital on Brink of Catastrophe Amid Escalating Conflict

Nasser Medical Complex in Gaza is facing a critical fuel shortage, jeopardizing the health of hundreds of patients as the Israeli military expands its offensive. With evacuation orders in place and ongoing attacks, doctors express grave concern about the potential for shutdown, underscoring the dire humanitarian crisis unfolding in the region.

As tensions escalate in Gaza, Nasser Medical Complex, the region's largest functioning hospital, is in serious jeopardy, doctors have warned, citing critical shortages of fuel and the widening Israeli military operations in southern areas such as Khan Younis. The hospital ceased admitting new patients on Thursday as Israeli forces advanced close to the facility, reportedly causing chaos and destruction in nearby camps for displaced people.

Medical personnel inside the hospital are increasingly alarmed by the situation. With fuel supplies rapidly dwindling, they fear that life-saving services could be forced to shut down entirely. Doctors communicated with local media, emphasizing their precarious position: "We are still working in the hospital. The tanks are just metres away. We are closer to death than to life."

The situation worsened on Friday morning when reports indicated Israeli forces conducted operations in the vicinity of the hospital. However, locals later noted that these troops had withdrawn. Despite this temporary reprieve, the aftermath left behind deep trenches, destroyed structures, and burnt tents, further displacing already vulnerable populations.

Nasser Hospital has been overwhelmed, treating about 700 patients in a facility originally designed for 350. It has become a key institution amid the crisis, but with ongoing power outages, medical staff have cut power usage to a minimum to keep critical areas operational. They expect that generators can sustain operations for only one more day, after which patients reliant on ventilators could face life-threatening conditions.

Adding to the severe humanitarian toll, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Gaza described the facility as "one massive trauma ward," inundated with patients suffering severe injuries related to the violence, including children. Reports have surfaced of lethal airstrikes purportedly killing civilians who were seeking aid or food.

While Israeli military officials claim that 160,000 liters of fuel reached Gaza for humanitarian needs, they maintain that logistics and distribution fall outside their responsibilities. This ambiguity has exacerbated the struggle for medical facilities to access the resources they desperately require.

Despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, associated talks regarding aid distribution and troop withdrawals have reportedly stalled, casting further uncertainty on the future of both medical operations and civilian safety in Gaza. As the conflict continues to escalate since the October 7 attacks, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza deepens, with casualty figures soaring and relief efforts increasingly hindered.