Palestinians say first field hospital enters Gaza since war began
- 20 Nov 2023
Palestinian officials said a field hospital sent by Jordan entered the Gaza Strip Monday, the first since the war between Israel and the territory's rulers Hamas erupted on Oct.7.
"The hospital will be established in Khan Yunis, to receive the wounded and the sick, under catastrophic conditions which southern hospitals are experiencing, with the influx of hundreds of wounded each day and continued aggressive aerial and artillery strikes," said Mohammed Zaqout, director-general of Gaza hospitals.
There are around 30,000 wounded people across Gaza, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. The death toll in Gaza has hit 13,000, mostly civilians, the ministry said Sunday.
Weeks of intense bombardment and severe shortages of fuel and medical supplies have meant most Gaza hospitals have stopped functioning.
Aed Yaghi, head of medical aid in Gaza, said the field hospital will help ease the pressure on existing health services. "The number of medical personnel is limited and there aren't (enough) ambulances," Yaghi told AFP.
The Jordanian field hospital reached Gaza accompanied by 17 personnel and 40 trucks of medical aid. All goods and individuals entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing with Egypt are subject to Israeli approval.
The head of Gaza's crossings authority, Hisham Adwan, said six ambulances from Kuwait also entered the territory on Monday.
Agence France-Presse