Israeli military vehicles have approached the besieged Al-Shifa hospital complex in Gaza, causing alarm among health officials. The hospital is facing dire conditions, with limited supplies of fuel, medicine, and food for patients and sheltering individuals. The lack of electricity and fuel has led to the decomposition of dozens of corpses at the hospital, as there is no way to preserve or remove them. Premature babies are also at risk, as doctors struggle to keep them warm without functional incubators. The power cut at Al-Shifa has already resulted in multiple deaths, and three nurses were killed on Monday. The situation has been described as catastrophic, with patients dying due to a lack of oxygen in the intensive care unit. The Israeli military has not addressed questions about its actions near the hospital but has stated that it is engaged in a battle against Hamas and that the hospital itself is not a target. The hospital and other medical centers in Gaza City have been struggling to operate as Israeli forces close in and supplies dwindle. Israeli officials claim that Hamas uses hospitals as shields, but Hamas denies these allegations. The Israeli military claims to have delivered fuel to Al-Shifa, but it remained untouched due to threats from Hamas. The situation at the hospital has worsened, with Israeli military vehicles reaching the gates of the complex. Al-Shifa is now surrounded by Israeli troops, and the hospital is no longer functioning properly. Bodies are decomposing inside the hospital, and medical staff are unable to remove them without coordination with the Red Cross, which has been unresponsive. The situation has left staff and displaced individuals suffering from thirst and hunger. Premature babies are at risk of death without proper care, as the equipment providing oxygen has been disabled. The neonatal unit has been forced to move the remaining babies to a department without incubators, putting their lives in danger. The hospital is also running out of baby formula. Efforts are being made to negotiate the evacuation of the babies with Israeli authorities, but no agreement has been reached yet. The continuous shelling and strikes near the hospital have caused fear among medical staff, who are unable to leave the building to remove corpses. Displaced individuals who have attempted to leave the hospital in search of food and water have come under fire and some have been killed. The Israeli military has not responded to accusations of firing on people trying to leave the hospital.
