Healthy Executive

In the midst of relentless bombing campaigns devastating neighborhoods and refugee camps in Gaza, a heart-wrenching scenario unfolds as hundreds of Palestinian families establish makeshift residences in the most unexpected of places: the common areas of hospitals.

Hospital corridors, parking lots, and courtyards have now become the unlikely sites for makeshift tent cities. These families are seeking refuge in and around medical facilities, the very places that should be sanctuaries according to international humanitarian law.

This poignant situation epitomizes the new reality emerging as the Israel-Hamas conflict enters its 29th day. Fears are mounting over the scarcity of essential medical supplies and the disruption of critical healthcare services within hospitals and clinics.

Inside these tents, which offer no more than cloth walls for privacy, families attempt to continue with their daily routines, sleeping, eating, and trying to restore a semblance of normality amidst the chaos.

These tent communities sprung up shortly after the war erupted on October 7. They not only provide temporary shelter for those escaping the horrors of residential areas, but some have even been pressed into service as makeshift surgical theaters and emergency rooms as the Palestinian death toll climbs beyond 9,000.

The majority of the hospital's residents are women and children, and privacy has become a distant memory. The challenges of living in a hospital are manifold, with food, clean water, and toilet facilities in woefully short supply, available only sporadically, often just once or twice a day.

In a heart-wrenching account, a seven-member family sheltering in a tent spoke anonymously to Al Jazeera, highlighting their hardships. They spoke of their vulnerability to nearby shelling and the debris it scatters, as well as the biting cold they endure during the night.

"In a matter of hours, we've gone from having everything to having nothing," one of the family members lamented.

Families like theirs are also at increased risk of infection and exposure to toxic substances, as medical treatment continues in nearby tents.

The healthcare facilities across Gaza have been grappling with a severe shortage of medical supplies. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has characterized this scarcity as a grave concern, leading to a rapid deterioration in the quality of healthcare provided. The shortage of anesthesia has become particularly glaring, with reports from Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest healthcare facility, stating that doctors are compelled to perform surgeries without the necessary pain relief, subjecting patients to unimaginable agony.

Intensive care units (ICUs) are equally strained, with insufficient beds to accommodate the hundreds of patients with severe injuries. The Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza has reported that there have been no vacancies for such cases since mid-October.

The Indonesian Hospital, serving over 150,000 residents in northern Gaza, teeters on the brink of shutting down, raising alarm among health officials. Similarly, the Al-Shifa Hospital, which plays a vital role in central Gaza, may soon be unable to admit more patients or provide necessary treatment. Operating with just 546 beds, it is currently caring for over 1,000 injured individuals, even resorting to conducting surgeries in its yards due to a lack of electricity and fuel, relying on sunlight for illumination.

Ashraf al-Qudra, a spokesperson for the Health Ministry, issued a dire warning that the hospital may plunge into complete darkness within hours. An additional 50,000 to 60,000 people have sought refuge in the hospital's grounds.

Al-Qudra emphasized that Gaza's healthcare sector faces an impending catastrophe unless fuel and medical supplies can reach the besieged enclave. He urged Egypt to expedite the delivery of essential medical aid to Gaza. While 20 trucks carrying health supplies and other necessities crossed into Gaza from Egypt on October 21, the delivery has been sluggish, partly due to ongoing Israeli bombings near the border.

The Palestinian Ministry of Health has pointed out that the international aid allocated for Gaza's healthcare sector only covers its basic operations and falls short of addressing its most urgent requirements.

The war has also taken a devastating toll on healthcare facilities. Attacks on or in close proximity to medical centers and healthcare workers have severely compromised Gaza's healthcare system since the conflict's inception.

Israeli airstrikes have been blamed for explosions at several healthcare facilities, including the Turkish-Palestinian Friendship Hospital in the south and the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital in central Gaza City, resulting in hundreds of casualties.

Israel's military has acknowledged targeting ambulances, claiming that one of the vehicles in a medical convoy was "being used by a Hamas terrorist cell." Al-Qudra revealed that a significant number of health workers were killed in this incident. Approximately 25 ambulances have been hit, and 136 healthcare workers have lost their lives since the war began.

The Health Ministry and Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) have called for the protection of medical facilities and first responders from violence, in accordance with international law. Article 18 of the Geneva Convention explicitly states that civilian hospitals should "in no circumstances be the object of attack," and medical transport is likewise safeguarded under humanitarian law.

Despite these protections, medical institutions in Gaza have continued to come under fire. On October 29, PRCS received a notification from Israeli forces to evacuate the Al-Quds Hospital in the Tal al-Hawa area of Gaza City in anticipation of a planned bombing. The hospital was home to hundreds of patients and approximately 12,000 displaced Palestinians.

Gaza's Government Media Office and the Health Ministry have labeled such attacks as "war crimes," demanding accountability for these actions.

The ongoing violence has heightened concerns regarding the mental and physical well-being of healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, administrative staff, and rescue crews. Many of them are working tirelessly, facing extreme exhaustion and experiencing psychological fatigue from treating severe injuries and the frustration of resource shortages.

Nurse Huda Shokry from the Al-Daraj Medical Complex acknowledged the unprecedented challenges they face, stating, "Before the war, we were responsible for easing the stress and trauma of the sick and injured, but now it is us who need an outlet for our exhausted bodies and spirits."

Dr. Ahmed Ghoul, an emergency room supervisor at Al-Daraj, highlighted the dedication of the professionals he works with, despite the shortages. He said, "We do not leave our rooms, day or night, except for quick toilet breaks. We have lost track of the days of the week because we are more concerned with the thousands of injured individuals than with the passage of time."

These doctors have no place to rest even if they have the opportunity. Their personal rooms have been transformed into treatment areas for patients, and their beds are used for surgeries and emergency care.

Furthermore, hospital kitchens have largely ceased operations due to the lack of essential resources for preparing meals for both staff and patients.

In these challenging circumstances, Shokry reflected on the emotional toll, saying, "Being a doctor in the war in Gaza means losing one's sense of fear and exhaustion. It is impossible to maintain a normal psyche or even emotions."

*Composed from different sources and altered so that it is more fascinating to perusers