Gaza health crisis deepens amid concerns over Israel-Lebanon border clashes. Here's what to know
The two largest hospitals in Gaza are both out of service as a health crisis in the territory continues to worsen, and an uptick in military activity at the Israel-Lebanon border has revived fears that escalation could spark a regional conflict.
Here are the latest headlines:
- Deteriorating situation at Gaza's largest hospital: The conditions inside Al-Shifa hospital are “catastrophic” as essential units collapse, hospital director Mohammad Abu Salmiya told CNN. Around 7,000 people are currently sheltering in the hospital, along with 1,500 patients and medical staff, said Abu Salmiya.
- Incubators no longer functioning: Premature babies at the hospital are being wrapped in foil and placed next to hot water in a desperate bid to keep them alive, the hospital director warned, as Israeli firepower continues to pound surrounding streets and remaining fuel reserves dry up, leaving the facility unable to function.
- Further strikes at Israel-Lebanon border: A CNN team in southern Lebanon heard frequent detonations in the border area Monday. The Israel Defence Forces says two mortars launched from Lebanon landed in open territory in northern Israel Monday. The IDF said it was striking back at the source of the launches. This barely populated swathe of mountainous terrain could be the launching pad of a regional war, drawing in a myriad of actors, including Iran and the United States.
- Fighting prevents evacuation from second-largest hospital: The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) reports "intense gunfire" near the Al-Quds Hospital in Gaza City on Monday. Attempts to evacuate staff and patients from the hospital were thwarted due to heavy fighting.
- UN claims Israel hit facility in southern Gaza: The United Nations aid organization that operates in Gaza, UNRWA, says that one of its premises in Rafah in southern Gaza sustained significant damage after it was hit on Sunday by an Israeli naval strike. “This recent attack is yet another indication that nowhere in Gaza is safe," said UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini. CNN is reaching out to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) for a response to the UNRWA statement on the Rafah strike.
- IDF says evacuation corridor is open: The IDF says that an evacuation corridor for residents of northern Gaza is open again Monday. It’s unclear how far the announcement of the corridor is known in Gaza, where there is little internet connectivity or cellular service.
- Indonesian president to press Biden over ceasefire: Indonesian President Joko Widodo will arrive at the White House on Monday bearing a message for US President Joe Biden about the ongoing Israeli assault on Gaza. Widodo, who is traveling to Washington for talks after meeting with Arab and Muslim leaders in Saudi Arabia, has called for a ceasefire.
- Russian nationals evacuated from Gaza: Russian authorities confirmed in a Telegram post that 98 nationals have crossed the Rafah crossing into Egypt today. The Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said work at the checkpoint was ongoing, and Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said he hopes “the process of our fellow citizens leaving Gaza will continue and everyone will be able to leave.”
No comments: