{"id":216370,"date":"2023-11-12T22:19:59","date_gmt":"2023-11-12T22:19:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bestwnews.com\/?p=216370"},"modified":"2023-11-12T22:19:59","modified_gmt":"2023-11-12T22:19:59","slug":"israel-to-evacuate-37-babies-from-gaza-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestwnews.com\/world-news\/israel-to-evacuate-37-babies-from-gaza-hospital\/","title":{"rendered":"Israel to evacuate 37 babies from Gaza hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Soldiers were preparing to move possibly up to 37 newborns from the Al-Shifa facility \u2013 the largest medical complex in the obliterated territory.<\/p>\n

Israel claims Hamas jihadists turned hospitals into \u201ccommand and control centres and hideouts for terrorists\u201d with fuel for military operations hidden at facilities such as the Al-Shifa.<\/p>\n

Troops have been on the ground in the centre of Gaza \u2013 from where it says Hamas\u2019s military high command operates \u2013 for the past fortnight.<\/p>\n

The hospital is where tens of thousands of Palestinians \u2013 sick or wounded or displaced by the fighting \u2013 have sought sanctuary.<\/p>\n

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Hecht, of the Israeli Defence Forces, said: \u201cWe understand the timeliness of this and we are working very hard to try to coordinate this effort.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don’t miss… <\/strong> Watch moment huge explosion rocks Gaza hospital as patients flee for cover<\/strong><\/p>\n

Israel said it would not reveal where the babies will be taken or how they will be evacuated because the rescue plan was \u201cstill being developed\u201d.<\/p>\n

The imminent emergency evacuation comes after desperate medics issued a \u201clast desperate call\u201d for help to save premature babies who are fighting for their lives inside the hospital while gun battles between Israeli forces and Hamas militants rage on the streets outside.<\/p>\n

Dr Mohamed Abu Selima, director of the Al-Shifa, said the sprawling medical complex was now \u201ccompletely isolated from the world\u201d as it was plunged into darkness because of power blackouts and fuel shortages.<\/p>\n

Life-saving medical equipment had stopped working after fuel generators ran dry of fuel at the weekend.<\/p>\n

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It is feared at least two of the 37 premature babies being cared for in the facility\u2019s special unit might have already died because of power cuts. The rest are being kept alive by manual artificial respiration.<\/p>\n

Dr Selima said: \u201cDue to power outage, four patients in the intensive care unit have died. Drones target anybody trying to move within the premises of the hospital. We have no water, no food, no electricity, no internet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr Ashraf Al Qadra, a spokesman for the Gaza Ministry of Health, said Israeli military \u201ctarget anyone moving between buildings at the hospital\u201d. He claimed there were 70 dead in the building but they have been unable to be buried in the gardens because \u201csnipers target us when we do\u201d.<\/p>\n

He added: \u201cThe artificial kidney unit is burning now and we tried to put out the flames with some sand as we have no water. This could be the last appeal to save our hospitals as all of us are under fire.\u201d<\/p>\n

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