Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is providing surgical and inpatient care, while preparing a medicine and medical consumables donation to hospitals and health facilities, in Gaza today.

“Health facilities need this equipment because of the many injured patients,” says Ayman Al-Djaroucha, MSF deputy coordinator in Gaza. “Hospitals are overcrowded with injured people, there is a shortage of drugs and consumables, and a shortage of fuel for generators.”

One challenge medical staff face in Gaza at the moment is the lack of safe options to move patients to health facilities.

“Ambulances can’t be used right now because they’re being hit by airstrikes,” says Darwin Diaz, MSF medical coordinator in Gaza.

MSF calls on all parties to respect the sanctity of medical facilities, vehicles and personnel.

Our teams of local staff have been providing surgical and inpatient care in Al-Awda hospital since yesterday, in the enclave’s north. Our bed capacity there was upgraded to its maximum of 26 beds in preparation for a high influx of expected patients.

“Stable patients are referred to us and we take care of them,” says Jean Pierre, MSF medical activity manager in Gaza. “It’s all been gunshots wounds and injuries from shrapnel, spread at random on the upper and lower limbs,” he says. 

Authorities have reported over 2,200 injuries and over 300 deaths, including 20 children, in Gaza so far. In Israel, over 600 people have died and over 2,000 have been reported injured.