UN official says Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis ‘has become a place of death’

Jerusalem (Quds News Network) – An official from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has raised alarm over the dire humanitarian situation in Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, describing it as a “place of death, not a place of healing.”

Jonathan Whittall, the senior humanitarian affairs officer at OCHA in the occupied Palestinian territory, expressed deep concern about the deteriorating conditions amid the ongoing Israeli offensive in the hospital. “The conditions are appalling. There are dead bodies in the corridors. Patients are in a desperate situation,” he stated.

Whittall, alongside teams from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Palestine Red Crescent Society, undertook an evacuation mission to rescue the most critical patients who had been trapped inside the beleaguered hospital.

In a video posted online, he revealed the challenges they faced in reaching the hospital, citing a persistent denial of access for over a week to provide essential resources.

“We tried to reach the hospital for more than a week to provide fuel, water, and medical supplies,” Whittall explained. Despite their efforts, the situation remains critical, with insufficient resources and aid reaching those in need.

The humanitarian official emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “This has become a place of death, not a place of healing.” He mentioned the dire consequences of the denial of access, with patients suffering and losing their lives due to a lack of appropriate care.

Whittall detailed the evacuation efforts, noting that they arrived with four ambulances, but lamented, “It is not enough.” Urgent referrals for critical patients are imperative, and the consistent denial of access has resulted in preventable fatalities.