On Friday May 30, the very last hospital that was partially functioning in North Gaza was forced to close.
Al Awda’s hospital in Jabalia, which was supported by Relief International and The Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission (ECHO), was issued forced displacement orders and directly targeted by Israeli forces.
The hospital’s 84 staff and more than 20 patients were left with no option but to evacuate under the threat of guns.
This new forced transfer took place with very little advance notice and in extremely challenging circumstances – given the condition of the roads, the lack of means, and the complete exhaustion following a two-week siege on the hospital.
Relentless daily bombardments and brutal human-made starvation continue to devastate across the Gaza Strip, particularly in North Gaza, yet there are now no hospitals available for the Palestinian people there.
Our hearts break for the patients and medical professionals who have been forced to leave.
Despite 20 months of unspeakable horror, the staff remained dedicated to providing what critical healthcare they could – and have now been stripped of their ability to help in North Gaza.
Relief International urgently calls on all governments and stakeholders with influence to:
- Demand an immediate and permanent ceasefire, and a halt to the bombing campaigns against civilians, humanitarian workers and facilities, including hospitals and healthcare staff, across the Gaza Strip
- Ensure the unimpeded entry of humanitarian aid at scale and without delay for all people in need
- Facilitate, as quickly as possible, the medical evacuation of the thousands of people in need of medical treatment outside of Gaza.
We are providing ongoing support for Al Awda staff, including at the organization’s hospital in Nuseirat (Middle Area), which continues to provide critical healthcare for Palestinian people in desperate need.
In these darkest of times, we must raise our voices and stand together.
