Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, has become essentially out of service due to the escalating Israeli aggression in its vicinity, which is preventing patients from reaching the hospital and from receiving necessary medical care.
In a post on his official account on X, Dr. Ghebreyesus said, "access to the hospital is obstructed, preventing new patients from reaching care, and leading to more preventable deaths. The hospital still has patients who need care, but is not accepting new ones. Two emergency medical teams - one national, the other international - are still doing their best to serve the remaining patients with the limited medical supplies left on the premises.
He pointed out that with the closure of Al-Amal, Nasser Medical Complex is now the only remaining hospital with an intensive care unit in Khan Yunis.
Earlier this month, the WHO reported that both Al-Amal and Nasser Complex were operating beyond their capacity, as the influx of wounded and injured from ongoing Israeli bombings continues, compounded by a severe shortage of essential medicines and medical equipment due to the complete blockade that has been in place for more than two months.
Since the outbreak of Israel's full-scale assault on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, more than 2.3 million Palestinians in the Strip have been enduring one of the world's worst humanitarian disasters, amid repeated UN warnings of imminent famine and continued Israeli targeting of civilian infrastructure, including hospitals, shelters, and ambulances.
