A World Health Organization (WHO)-led team conducted a humanitarian assessment at Al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza, describing the facility as a “death zone” due to the impact of Israeli shelling and gunfire. The team, which included public health experts, logistics officers, and security staff, spent only an hour inside the hospital on Saturday, citing security concerns. The assessment revealed a desperate situation, with the hospital struggling to function as a medical facility due to a scarcity of clean water, fuel, medicine, and essentials. The team observed signs of shelling and gunfire, a mass grave, and a dire lack of medical waste management. With 291 patients, including 32 critical infants, and 25 health workers remaining, WHO is urgently planning the evacuation of patients, staff, and their families pending guarantees of safe passage. The organization reiterated its call for an immediate ceasefire and sustained humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
