After a brief truce, conflict resumes in Gaza, leading to an inflow of injured patients at Al Ahli Arab Hospital. Medical staff prioritize care while facing severe shortages, and tensions escalate as attacks continue, with civilians caught amidst ongoing hostilities.
Challenge of Triage Amid Renewed Violence in Gaza
Challenge of Triage Amid Renewed Violence in Gaza
Following the collapse of the ceasefire, a hospital in Gaza sees a surge of wounded individuals, particularly children, requiring urgent medical care amidst dire shortages of supplies.
As the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas crumbled, Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza experienced an influx of injured individuals—a scene echoed across the war-torn region. Patients arrived in varying conditions: some alone, others in groups, often accompanied by family members. Heartbreakingly, many were children, with injuries stemming from an Israeli airstrike on a school repurposed as a shelter in Gaza City.
Upon arriving at the hospital, injured individuals were immediately triaged in a makeshift tent set up in the courtyard. In a life-or-death race against time, medical personnel categorized the wounded into three classifications: green, yellow, and red. Those deemed green received basic treatment—primarily bandages—before being discharged. Yellow indicated a need for hospital treatment, while red identified critically injured patients requiring immediate care and possibly surgery.
The medical team was hampered by severe shortages of supplies and equipment. The breakdown of one of Gaza’s two CT scanners highlighted the challenges faced by healthcare providers. The explosion's aftermath revealed the vulnerability of children in the densely populated areas of Gaza, where the health implications of the bombings can be particularly devastating. Displacement from neighborhoods only exacerbated the crisis, forcing families into cramped camps or converted schools turned shelters, one of which was struck, resulting in at least 27 fatalities, according to the Gaza health ministry.
Controversy looms over the attacks as both Israel and Palestinian civilians allege Hamas utilizes civilian infrastructure for military operations. Verified footage captured the chaos following the school strike, showing victims being carried through the wreckage as flames engulfed the surroundings. Following the tragic incident, the Israeli military announced a probe into the airstrike but maintained a stance of ambiguity as of Friday morning.
