Breast screening for 10,000 women in Gaza

On October 17th the Al Ahli ‘Baptist’ hospital in Gaza city was hit by a shell that left nearly 500 people dead and far more injured, including many families who had been sheltering in the hospital grounds. 

The hospital reopened the next day and continues to treat patients despite facing severe difficulties and a massive shortage of medical staff and supplies - most of which have been prevented from being delivered to the hospital by the Israeli Military.

Since then the hospital has been struck on two further occasions, and shortly before Christmas (19th December) the hospital was surrounded for a second time by Israeli tanks, its surrounding walls were destroyed and members of the medical staff and administrators were arrested/ taken by the Israeli Army. They were subsequently released into the south of the Gaza strip and were instructed that they could not go back to the hospital. The last medic to be released was held for 45 days and released on February 1st without any charges, he reported that for much of that time he had been handcuffed, shackled and had had to wear an eye mask (Reuters 5.2.23).

On 7th February the World Health Organisation reported that due to the rapidly worsening situation in the only other hospitals functioning in Gaza City that:

‘The Al Ahli hospital had seen a rapid rise in patients.  The 80 bed facility had over 150 patients. Health care workers are having to treat patients in makeshift spaces such as the hospital’s chapel and library. Staff are exhausted as they have been working without rest. Fuel, food for patients and staff, along with critical medical supplies like bone stabilisers, antibiotics and anaesthetics are urgently needed.’

We call for an immediate cease fire, the release of hostages, and for essential humanitarian and medical aid to be allowed to Al Ahli hospital and to all areas of Gaza.