Gaza Hospitals Overwhelmed by Casualties Amid Aid Site Attacks
British medical professionals report severe injuries and fatalities following gunfire at aid distribution centers in southern Gaza.
LONDON: Hospitals in southern Gaza are facing critical challenges as they become inundated with casualties from recent attacks at aid distribution sites.
British doctors operating in the region reported a significant influx of injured individuals following gunfire by Israeli soldiers targeting crowds attempting to access humanitarian aid.
On Tuesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross indicated that at least 27 individuals were killed and numerous others injured when Israeli troops fired on a gathering located approximately one kilometer from an aid center managed by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
This incident follows a prior attack on Sunday, which resulted in at least 31 deaths at the same location.
Dr. Iain Lennon, an emergency consultant volunteering at Al-Mawasi hospital, noted that all patients arriving after the shootings presented with gunshot wounds.
In an account regarding the morning hours of the incident, Dr. Lennon stated, "We were woken up in the early hours of the morning by the team in the hospital.
One of our partner organizations had declared a mass casualty incident and were overwhelmed, and we were taking patients both directly from the scene and from the other hospitals involved." He reported that during this critical period, approximately 22 patients were treated, with two requiring immediate surgical intervention for life-threatening injuries.
The demographic of the injured included predominantly young men, aged around 15 to 16 years, many of whom had traveled significant distances to seek aid.
Dr. Lennon specified that the injuries sustained were primarily gunshot-related rather than caused by explosive devices or shrapnel.
In response to the incidents, the Israel Defense Forces stated that gunfire was directed toward individuals who allegedly deviated from established routes towards the aid site.
The military asserted that warning shots were first fired and that subsequent shots were aimed at individuals who did not retreat.
Dr. Victoria Rose, a British surgeon, reported that on Sunday, 28 bodies and over 200 individuals with gunshot wounds were received at Nasser hospital, necessitating a shift to a mass casualty response protocol.
Dr. Rose commented on the stress placed on medical facilities, stating, "It’s going to be very hard for us to deal with all of this now because we don’t really have the medical supplies or the reserves in the workforce to deal with a mass casualty of this kind."
In recent developments, new aid distribution hubs have been established following Israel's suspension of UN aid deliveries to Gaza on March 2. Humanitarian deliveries resumed late last month, albeit under the auspices of the newly organized Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
In light of the ongoing violence against civilians seeking essential food supplies, the United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, characterized the attacks as "unconscionable" and called for an urgent and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.
British doctors operating in the region reported a significant influx of injured individuals following gunfire by Israeli soldiers targeting crowds attempting to access humanitarian aid.
On Tuesday, the International Committee of the Red Cross indicated that at least 27 individuals were killed and numerous others injured when Israeli troops fired on a gathering located approximately one kilometer from an aid center managed by the U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
This incident follows a prior attack on Sunday, which resulted in at least 31 deaths at the same location.
Dr. Iain Lennon, an emergency consultant volunteering at Al-Mawasi hospital, noted that all patients arriving after the shootings presented with gunshot wounds.
In an account regarding the morning hours of the incident, Dr. Lennon stated, "We were woken up in the early hours of the morning by the team in the hospital.
One of our partner organizations had declared a mass casualty incident and were overwhelmed, and we were taking patients both directly from the scene and from the other hospitals involved." He reported that during this critical period, approximately 22 patients were treated, with two requiring immediate surgical intervention for life-threatening injuries.
The demographic of the injured included predominantly young men, aged around 15 to 16 years, many of whom had traveled significant distances to seek aid.
Dr. Lennon specified that the injuries sustained were primarily gunshot-related rather than caused by explosive devices or shrapnel.
In response to the incidents, the Israel Defense Forces stated that gunfire was directed toward individuals who allegedly deviated from established routes towards the aid site.
The military asserted that warning shots were first fired and that subsequent shots were aimed at individuals who did not retreat.
Dr. Victoria Rose, a British surgeon, reported that on Sunday, 28 bodies and over 200 individuals with gunshot wounds were received at Nasser hospital, necessitating a shift to a mass casualty response protocol.
Dr. Rose commented on the stress placed on medical facilities, stating, "It’s going to be very hard for us to deal with all of this now because we don’t really have the medical supplies or the reserves in the workforce to deal with a mass casualty of this kind."
In recent developments, new aid distribution hubs have been established following Israel's suspension of UN aid deliveries to Gaza on March 2. Humanitarian deliveries resumed late last month, albeit under the auspices of the newly organized Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
In light of the ongoing violence against civilians seeking essential food supplies, the United Nations human rights chief, Volker Turk, characterized the attacks as "unconscionable" and called for an urgent and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatalities.