Nasser Hospital is receiving an increase in patients every day, putting all departments in the hospital above bed capacity, while our teams are running on emergency medical stocks. The pediatric department has a capacity of 56 beds, but on 3 July MSF teams received some 100 patients. In the past few days, our teams in the orthopedic department have seen a doubling of the number of patients.
“We have children lying on the floor. There are no more mattresses and no more beds, so patients are in the corridors lying on blankets and sitting on stairs,” says MSF nurse activity manager Cristina Roldán. “The team has put nails on the wall so we can hang the IV fluids and medication we need to give patients, but it's a very difficult situation, and the team is exhausted.”
On 1 July 2024, following evacuation orders by Israeli forces for the areas east and south of Khan Younis, the Ministry of Health decided to precautionarily evacuate the European Gaza Hospital. Patients were transported in ambulances from the European Gaza Hospital to Nasser Hospital, but many were forced to leave and walk some 10 km to get there. Approximately 250,000 people are at risk of displacement in Khan Younis, due to the evacuation order.
“We have heard that patients have travelled on their own, either arriving to Nasser Hospital in beds or being walked by their families,” says MSF medical team leader Javid Abdelmoneim working in Nasser hospital.