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Thousands of displaced and sick people, many of whom are in critical condition, do not have ambulances or means of transportation.
A medical source told Al Jazeera that the occupation forces gave doctors, patients and displaced people at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza one hour to evacuate the complex.
The doctor said that was “impossible” because the facility, which was bombed and besieged by Israeli forces for several days, houses about 7,000 people, including patients in critical condition.
“They don’t have any ambulances to transport patients and premature babies to the south [of Gaza]Al Jazeera’s Youmna Al-Sayed said in a report from Khan Yunis in southern Gaza on Saturday.
“This is what he called a ‘crisis’ – asking them to evacuate within one hour.”
Those in Shifa include more than 300 sick people, some or most of whom are in serious or critical condition, in addition to thousands of displaced families.
Al-Sayed added that the number also includes “at least 35 premature babies who have been outside incubators for eight days due to lack of oxygen and lack of electricity.” There were 39 children left without foster care; Our correspondent added that four died late on Friday and five are now in serious condition.
“There is no transportation in Gaza City and the north due to the lack of fuel. So it is expected that people will be evacuated on foot. Doctors tell us that it is impossible to evacuate with this many people on foot.
Al-Sayed said that the Israeli army ordered people to evacuate via Al-Rashid Street, “not the usual street or route that people who are evacuated to the south are supposed to take, they usually take Salah Al-Din Street.”
The hospital has been without food, water, electricity and oxygen for at least a week, while Israeli troops and tanks have raided the facility over the past two days.
Israel claimed that Hamas had a command center under the hospital, but found no evidence to support its claim. Hamas and hospital workers have long rejected Israeli assertions.
This is a breaking story. More to follow.
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