Dozens of wounded patients at the Indonesian Hospital in northern Gaza are at immediate risk of dying due to a severe shortage of food and water, according to Palestinian health authorities. The Ministry of Health in Gaza stated on Tuesday that 60 patients at the hospital, located in Beit Lahiya, were “at risk of death” under the current conditions. The hospital has been facing extreme shortages of basic supplies, and patients are enduring worsening suffering due to the lack of necessary resources.
The Indonesian Hospital, situated in the northern Gaza Strip, has been critically impacted by the ongoing Israeli military siege, which has been particularly tight since early October. The health ministry’s statement described the humanitarian situation within the hospital as “extremely dangerous,” with the most vulnerable patients, including the wounded, unable to access vital necessities. The siege, along with the broader military operations in Gaza, has exacerbated an already dire situation for civilians and medical institutions.
In addition to the crisis at the hospital, the Ministry of Health reported a rise in casualties from the ongoing violence in Gaza. In the latest daily update, the ministry said that at least 28 people had been killed, and 54 others injured in what it termed “four massacres against families.” Many victims remain trapped under rubble, with rescue teams unable to reach them due to ongoing airstrikes and ground assaults. The total death toll from the ongoing Israeli military campaign has now surpassed 44,000, as reported by Gaza’s health ministry. Meanwhile, in Israel, over 1,100 people were killed during Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, and more than 200 individuals were taken captive.
The violence continued on Tuesday when Israeli fighter jets targeted a multistory residential building in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, killing at least seven Palestinians and injuring others, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa.
On the international front, the United Nations’ humanitarian coordinator for Gaza, Sigrid Kaag, briefed the UN Security Council on the ongoing crisis, describing the situation in Gaza as a “very, very bleak picture.” Kaag emphasized the inhumane conditions in Gaza, where civilians, both young and old, are struggling to survive. She highlighted the urgency of a ceasefire and the unconditional release of hostages to facilitate humanitarian assistance. Kaag’s comments came as Israeli officials were reportedly briefed that Hamas had expressed interest in negotiating a ceasefire and a captive exchange.
