Director of Indonesian Hospital in Beit Lahiya says 45 patients in need of ‘urgent surgical intervention’. The Indonesian hospital in northern Gaza has gone ‘completely out of service’ due to a lack of supplies and an overwhelming number of patients amid Israel’s assault on the besieged territory, hospital director Atef al-Kahlout has said.
The hospital, located near the Jabalia refugee camp, has been a lifeline for many Palestinians in need of medical assistance. However, with the ongoing conflict, the facility is now unable to provide the necessary care to those in need. Footage from the hospital in Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip shows wounded Palestinians lining the hallways of the facility and lying prone amid pools of blood.
“We cannot offer any more services … we can’t offer patients any beds,” al-Kahlout told [news outlet] on Thursday. The hospital, which has a capacity of 140 patients, is currently overwhelmed with around 500 patients. Out of these, 45 patients require urgent surgical intervention, but due to the lack of capacity, the hospital is unable to accommodate them.
The situation is dire, with health workers citing critical shortages of supplies, including beds and medication. Patients in need of intensive care units are left lying on the ground, while others with amputated limbs have no access to crucial medicines. Some patients have been in the hospital for as long as 10 days, waiting for the opportunity to receive medical attention.
Since Israel began its assault on Gaza on October 7, nearly 30,000 Palestinians have been wounded, and over 1,200 people have been killed, according to Israeli authorities. Palestinian health authorities report that more than 11,400 people, including over 4,600 children, have lost their lives in the Israeli assault. The Israeli military has also severely restricted essential supplies such as water, food, electricity, and fuel, leading to a looming humanitarian catastrophe in the enclave.
The Indonesian Hospital, which has been targeted by Israeli forces, has also been providing shelter to hundreds of displaced people from the nearby Jabalia refugee camp. Human Rights Watch has documented at least two civilian deaths resulting from strikes on the vicinity of the hospital.
Israeli military claims that the Indonesian Hospital is being used as a Hamas command and control center have been refuted by Palestinian officials and the Indonesian group that funds the hospital. Similar concerns are growing for the thousands of civilians trapped at al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza’s largest medical complex, amidst the ongoing Israeli raid. The White House has backed these claims, stating that the hospital is being used by Hamas as a command and control node and storage facility. However, Palestinian officials deny these allegations.
The situation in Gaza’s hospitals is worsening, with the Indonesian Hospital and others in Gaza City and the north ceasing operations. The international community must urgently address the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Gaza and ensure the provision of necessary medical supplies and support to save lives.
