Geneva, 14 November 2023 (dpa/MIA) - The largest hospital in the Gaza Strip is currently not out of operation, contrary to statements made by the Palestinian authorities at the weekend.

"We call it a functioning hospital because of the heroic efforts of the staff remaining," World Health Organization (WHO) spokeswoman Margaret Harris said in Geneva on Tuesday.

Despite the power cuts and attacks, the staff at al-Shifa Hospital are trying everything they can to care for around 700 remaining seriously ill patients. Within the past 24 hours, 20 of those have died, Harris said, referring to figures from the local health authorities.

The WHO has its own staff in the north of the Gaza Strip, said Harris. Like the remaining population, they were having problems getting the basic necessities of food and drink.

The al-Shifa Hospital is not only the largest in the Gaza Strip; Before the recent Israeli attacks, it was also the best-equipped hospital with the most specialized doctors so the most seriously ill patients were treated there.

Evacuating them would have been difficult even under the best conditions without conflict in the streets, said Harris, but it was impossible in the chaos of the conflict. In addition, there is no capacity in the south of the Gaza Strip to receive these patients.

"We are begging for a ceasefire," Harris said.

Photo: MIA archive