Infants Discharged from Incubators at Şifa Hospital
Babies Die in Gaza Hospital Due to Lack of Electricity and Fuel
The director of Shifa Hospital in Gaza, Muhammed Abu Selmiye, has announced a devastating loss as two premature babies died after the neonatal intensive care unit stopped working due to a lack of electricity. Additionally, 37 more babies in the neonatal intensive care unit are at risk of losing their lives as the hospital has run out of fuel to operate the incubators.
Abu Selmiye, the director of the largest medical complex in Gaza, expressed his grief over the loss of the two babies and emphasized that the hospital is under siege and the target of violent Israeli attacks. The lack of fuel to provide electricity to the incubators has led to a decrease in temperature and lack of oxygen, resulting in the tragic deaths of the newborns.
The situation at Shifa Hospital is dire, with Muhammed Ubeyd, a surgeon at the hospital, confirming that an adult patient also died due to the lack of electricity for the respirator.
With approximately 600 inpatients at the hospital, the medical aid organization Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, or MSF) has urged for guarantees for the evacuation of patients, including newborns, from the hospital.
The emotional plea from Ismail Yasin, the father of premature twins named Mira and Dahab, highlights the anguish of parents with newborns at the hospital. Yasin has appealed to the Red Cross and international institutions for help in transferring his children to safety.
Efforts to arrange an evacuation with the Red Cross have been made, but it is uncertain whether they will provide assistance. Abu Selmiye stressed the urgent need for a safe exit and transportation with ambulances and incubators to keep the babies alive.
Despite claims from the Israeli army that they would help evacuate the babies, Abu Selmiye stated that the Israeli army did not respond to his offer. The plan to move the babies to another hospital seems challenging amidst the ongoing conflict in the region, with concerns about the availability of supplies to treat babies in Gaza.
The tragic situation at Shifa Hospital underscores the urgent need for immediate assistance to ensure the safety and well-being of the newborns and patients amidst the siege and violent attacks.
