Final hospital in North Gaza governorate evacuated after Israeli order

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The final hospital offering well being providers within the North Gaza governorate is out of service after the Israeli navy ordered its quick evacuation, the hospital's director has mentioned.

Dr Mohammed Salha mentioned sufferers have been evacuated from al-Awda hospital in Jabalia on Thursday night.

He instructed the BBC "we're feeling actually unhealthy about this pressured evacuation" after "two weeks of siege", saying there's now "no well being facility working within the north".

Israel has not but commented, however the BBC has contacted the Israeli Protection Forces (IDF).

"We're actually unhappy that we evacuated the hospital, however the Israeli occupation forces threatened us that if we did not evacuate, they'd enter and kill whoever is inside," Dr Salha mentioned in a voice notice to the BBC.

"Or they'd bomb the hospital. We have been considering of the lives of sufferers and our employees."

Dr Salha instructed the BBC the hospital confronted "a number of bombing and taking pictures from the tanks" from round midday native time (09:00 GMT) on Thursday.

He obtained a name from the Israeli forces at about 13:00 to evacuate, and initially refused as a result of there have been sufferers in want of healthcare. He provided to stick with one other 10 of his employees and evacuate the others, however the navy refused, he mentioned.

After seven hours of negotiations, the evacuation occurred at about 20:30.

Employees carried sufferers greater than 300 metres (984 toes) to ambulances parked far-off from the hospital "as a result of the roads are completely destroyed".

Two movies despatched to the BBC by al-Awda hospital employees present folks, some sporting vests with the hospital's title on the again, boarding ambulances and a lorry to the east of the hospital courtyard at sundown, and a convoy of comparable autos heading south by Jabalia after darkish.

"Because of impassable roads" the hospital's medical gear couldn't be relocated, the World Well being Group (WHO) mentioned.

UN humanitarian company OCHA mentioned on Thursday "ongoing hostilities over the previous two weeks have broken the hospital, disrupted entry, and created panic, deterring folks from in search of care".

Sufferers have been evacuated to al-Shifa hospital in Gaza Metropolis.

Dr Salha instructed the BBC they would offer providers by a main well being centre in Gaza Metropolis and mentioned one other may be established in a shelter.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, mentioned the closure of al-Awda meant there was no remaining functioning hospital within the North Gaza governorate, "severing a essential lifeline for the folks there".

"WHO pleads for the hospital's safety and employees and sufferers' security, and reiterates its name for the lively safety of civilians and healthcare," he mentioned. "Hospitals must not ever be attacked or militarized."

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/72b2/live/ee6213e0-3d6d-11f0-bace-e1270fc31f5e.png.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/72b2/live/ee6213e0-3d6d-11f0-bace-e1270fc31f5e.png.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/72b2/live/ee6213e0-3d6d-11f0-bace-e1270fc31f5e.png.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/72b2/live/ee6213e0-3d6d-11f0-bace-e1270fc31f5e.png.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/72b2/live/ee6213e0-3d6d-11f0-bace-e1270fc31f5e.png.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/72b2/live/ee6213e0-3d6d-11f0-bace-e1270fc31f5e.png.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/72b2/live/ee6213e0-3d6d-11f0-bace-e1270fc31f5e.png.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/72b2/live/ee6213e0-3d6d-11f0-bace-e1270fc31f5e.png.webp" loading="lazy" alt="al-Awda staff People wearing vests with the name of al-Awda hospital on the back carry bags and items to a row of ambulances waiting between the rubble of buildings " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> al-Awda employees In a screenshot from video offered by hospital employees of the evacuation, folks, some sporting vests with the hospital's title on the again, carry luggage to ambulances

The IDF had ordered evacuations of the areas of Al-Atatra, Jabalia Al-Balad, Shujaiya, Al-Daraj and Al-Zeitoun on Thursday night, spokesperson Avichay Adraee mentioned on the time on social media.

"Terrorist organisations proceed their subversive exercise within the area, and subsequently the IDF will broaden its offensive exercise within the areas the place you're current to destroy the capabilities of the terrorist organisations," he mentioned.

"From this second on, the talked about areas will likely be thought of harmful fight."

Al-Awda hospital was inside an evacuation zone introduced final week, however had nonetheless been functioning, its director beforehand mentioned.

An announcement from 18 charities on Thursday mentioned the hospital was beneath navy besiegement "for the fourth time since October 2023 and has been struck no less than 28 instances".

The emergency room was hit, injuring 4 employees, and the desalination plant and storage unit additionally struck, resulting in the lack of all drugs, provides and gear, the charities mentioned.

The IDF instructed the BBC final week it was "working within the space in opposition to terror targets", however that it was "not conscious of any siege on the hospital itself".

Other than hospitals, some main healthcare centres are nonetheless working in Gaza, with 61 out of 158 partially or totally practical as of 18 Could, OCHA mentioned.

9 out of 27 UN Palestinian refugee company well being centres have been additionally functioning.

OCHA didn't report what number of, if any, centres have been within the north Gaza governorate.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/54f1/live/c8f68b30-3d64-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/54f1/live/c8f68b30-3d64-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/54f1/live/c8f68b30-3d64-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/54f1/live/c8f68b30-3d64-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/54f1/live/c8f68b30-3d64-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/54f1/live/c8f68b30-3d64-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/54f1/live/c8f68b30-3d64-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/54f1/live/c8f68b30-3d64-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="Reuters A woman raises her hand, crying out, as she walks beside a child carrying a sack on a street. a woman behind her carries a small child. " class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> Reuters Palestinians evacuate within the aftermath of an Israeli strike on a home in Gaza Metropolis

Israel is continuous its bombardment of Gaza, which most Palestinians aren't at the moment capable of depart, after a two-month ceasefire earlier this 12 months.

A minimum of 72 folks have been killed over the previous day, Gaza's Hamas-run well being ministry mentioned on Friday.

Israel started to permit a restricted quantity of help into Gaza final week, after an almost three-month blockade halted the supply of provides together with meals, drugs, gasoline and shelter.

Scenes of chaos have damaged out at help distribution centres run by the Gaza Humanitarian Basis - a US-and Israeli-backed group.

The UN and lots of help teams have refused to co-operate with the GHF's plans, which they are saying contradict humanitarian rules.

The secretary-general of Medical doctors With out Borders (MSF), Christopher Lockyear, known as the plan "ineffective" and mentioned probably the most susceptible have "nearly no probability" of accessing provides.

GHF mentioned it had distributed six truckloads of meals on Friday and plans to construct further websites, together with in northern Gaza, within the weeks forward.

Israel mentioned it imposed the blockade on Gaza to pressurise Hamas to launch the remaining hostages, no less than 20 of whom are believed to be alive. It has additionally accused Hamas of stealing help, which the group denies.

<img sizes="(min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 1008px) 66vw, 96vw" srcset="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/240/cpsprodpb/c0db/live/0b633e50-3d65-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 240w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/320/cpsprodpb/c0db/live/0b633e50-3d65-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 320w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c0db/live/0b633e50-3d65-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 480w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/640/cpsprodpb/c0db/live/0b633e50-3d65-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 640w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/800/cpsprodpb/c0db/live/0b633e50-3d65-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 800w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/cpsprodpb/c0db/live/0b633e50-3d65-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 1024w,https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1536/cpsprodpb/c0db/live/0b633e50-3d65-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp 1536w" src="https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c0db/live/0b633e50-3d65-11f0-b95e-89f9465859a0.jpg.webp" loading="lazy" alt="EPA A girl cries out as she leans against the wall of a charity kitchen, beside people holding out empty pots and pans to be filled from a bowl of soup-like food" class="sc-d1200759-0 dvfjxj"/> EPA Internally displaced Palestinians collect outdoors a charity kitchen in Khan Younis

A UN-backed evaluation this month mentioned Gaza's 2.1 million folks have been at a "essential threat" of famine. The UN's humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher instructed the BBC folks within the territory have been being subjected to "pressured hunger" by Israel.

On Friday, a spokesman from the UN's humanitarian company OCHA, Jens Laerke, known as Gaza "the hungriest place on earth".

Israel is going through worldwide stress to permit in additional help.

French President Emmanuel Macron mentioned on Friday "we should harden our collective place" if Israel doesn't do extra "within the coming hours and days".

Israel's overseas ministry hit again on social media, saying "there isn't a humanitarian blockade" and accused Macron of constant a "campaign in opposition to the Jewish state".

Some protesters in Israel tried to dam help vans from getting into Gaza, with one saying help shouldn't be allowed till Hamas returns the hostages and accepts a US-proposed ceasefire.

A Hamas official mentioned the group was "endeavor an intensive and accountable evaluation" of the proposal, however it "fails to fulfill" their calls for.

Israel launched a navy marketing campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's cross-border assault on 7 October 2023, during which about 1,200 folks have been killed and 251 others have been taken hostage.

A minimum of 54,321 folks have been killed in Gaza since then, together with 4,058 since Israel resumed its offensive on 18 March, in accordance with the well being ministry.