The World Health Organization (WHO) shared harrowing testimonies on Monday gathered from a hospital in the Gaza Strip, where victims of a bombing in a refugee camp were admitted.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the UN health agency, revealed on social media, “The WHO team heard heartbreaking testimonies from medical staff and victims about the suffering inflicted by the explosions.”
He recounted stories of immense loss, saying, “A child lost his entire family in the camp bombing. A nurse in the hospital suffered the same loss—her entire family perished.”
The Ministry of Health in Gaza, governed by Hamas since 2007, claims that at least 70 people died in the bombing on Sunday night in Al Maghazi, at the center of the Palestinian territory. The Israeli military states it is “verifying the incident,” and independent verification of the casualty count is yet to be established.
At the Al Aqsa Hospital in Deir al-Balah, in the central part of the Gaza Strip, numerous bodies were lined up in white mortuary bags ahead of funerals. The hospital reported receiving hundreds of wounded individuals following the bombing, exceeding its capacity in beds and personnel, according to the WHO chief.
“The number of patients treated by the hospital far exceeds its capacity in beds and staff,” he emphasized. “Many will not survive the wait,” he added.
Highlighting the urgent need for an immediate ceasefire, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed, “This latest bombing on a Gaza community demonstrates why an immediate ceasefire is needed.”
Sean Casey, a member of the WHO mission, described witnessing the care of a nine-year-old named Ahmed, who was gravely injured. Casey reported that Ahmed was treated with sedatives to alleviate his suffering before succumbing to his injuries.
The situation, as depicted by Casey, reflects the overwhelming challenges of treating complex neurological and traumatological cases in Gaza. He expressed frustration, stating, “This situation is unacceptable. It must stop.”