Amidst the ongoing battles between Israel and the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip, thousands of civilians, both Palestinians and Israelis, have tragically lost their lives since the unprecedented attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. The conflict has escalated into a declared war by Israel on Hamas, leading to retaliatory bombings on Gaza.
On November 10, 2023, Palestinians in Ramallah, occupied West Bank, expressed their protest against the devastating consequences of the conflict. The dire situation is highlighted by the burial of 179 people, including infants and intensive care unit patients, in a “mass grave” at Gaza’s largest hospital, Al-Shifa. Hospital director Mohammad Abu Salmiyah revealed that the burial became necessary due to fuel shortages, leaving the hospital without electricity and morgues inoperable.
Salmiyah disclosed that seven babies and 29 intensive care patients were among those buried in the mass grave. The lack of fuel supply to Gaza since the commencement of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7 has exacerbated the crisis. The hospital complex is now filled with bodies, and the stench of decomposing remains permeates the facility.
Despite the challenging circumstances, the conflict’s intensity has slightly diminished in recent nights, with less intense nighttime fighting and air strikes reported. However, Israeli tanks have reportedly gathered at the gates of Al-Shifa hospital, alleging that the hospital conceals an underground command “node” used by Hamas. This accusation is vehemently denied by the Palestinian militant group.
The situation in Gaza reflects a deepening humanitarian crisis, with the civilian population bearing the brunt of the violence.
