Gaza Baptist Hospital Forced to Choose Between Patients as Israeli Attacks Continue
Gaza (Quds News Network)- Doctors at Gaza’s Baptist Hospital must make life-or-death decisions, prioritizing some patients over others due to overwhelming casualties, said hospital director Dr. Fadel Naeem. The hospital can no longer accept new patients as Israeli attacks continue.
Speaking to Al Jazeera, Dr. Naeem said the hospital has only four operating rooms. As a result, many injured people must wait for treatment. Three patients have already died due to delays.
He added that the continuous arrival of casualties has overwhelmed the already exhausted hospital. The staff is working with various organizations to find alternative places for patients to stay, allowing new cases to be admitted.
Doctors are forced to choose between patients. They prioritize cases based on who requires the least time and medical supplies, aiming to save as many lives as possible.
On Thursday, Israeli airstrikes targeted Dar Al-Arqam School in Gaza City’s Al-Tuffah neighborhood. The school was sheltering displaced families. The attack killed 31 displaced Palestinians and injured 100 others. Many of the wounded were rushed to the Baptist Hospital.
Dr. Naeem said the hospital expanded its capacity to 120 beds during the Israeli assault. Before the genocide, it had only 30 to 50 beds.
The hospital lacks the resources to provide proper care. Emergency rooms are overcrowded. On Thursday alone, 180 new casualties arrived. Dr. Naeem said he is trying to transfer critically injured patients to other hospitals in Gaza.
He also stressed that Israel has destroyed most medical facilities in the strip. “There is no safe place in Gaza,” he warned, as Israeli attacks continue in Al-Shujaiya and other areas.
Dr. Munir Al-Bursh, director-general of the Health Ministry, said the enclave is on the verge of collapse. He reported seeing unusual injuries, severe burns, and disfigured bodies, suggesting Israel is using new, more destructive weapons.
On Thursday, the Palestinian Health Ministry warned that Gaza’s healthcare system is near total collapse. “Israeli aggression has pushed the health sector to the brink,” the ministry said in a statement.
Hospitals are operating beyond capacity. Medical supplies are running out. Fuel shortages threaten to shut down life-saving equipment. Thousands of patients—including children, pregnant women, and the elderly—face life-threatening conditions.
