Doctors Without Borders: 70 dead after airstrike in Chan Junis
According to Doctors Without Borders, at least 70 people have died in a hospital in the city of Chan Junis following an Israeli air strike. Dozens of patients, including many children and young people, had to be treated for severe burns at Nasser Hospital on Sunday, the aid organization said, citing its staff at the clinic.
By midday on Sunday, statistics had already been posted in the hospital indicating that 47 people had been killed. A photographer had reported to the German Press Agency at the time that many body bags had been lined up in the clinic. The Israeli army initially made no announcement regarding the reports of attacks in the south of the Gaza Strip.
"A ceasefire is a must"
The project manager of Doctors Without Borders in southern Gaza, Christophe Garnier, explained: "The medical need is enormous." The group is ready to expand its mission, but needs "basic security guarantees and unrestricted access to medical and humanitarian supplies", he explained. "A ceasefire is a must, now more than ever, to stop the ongoing bloodshed," he demanded.
Israeli Defense Minister Joav Galant announced on Saturday that the attacks in the Gaza Strip would soon be extended to the south. For more than a month, the military has been calling on the inhabitants of the north to flee to a zone in the south, west of Chan Junis on the Mediterranean. Most recently, residents of Chan Junis were also called upon to flee for the first time.
The conflict in the Middle East continues to take a toll on civilians, as evidenced by the 70 lives lost at Nasser Hospital in Chan Junis following an Israeli airstrike. Doctors Without Borders has expressed concern about the ongoing violence, calling for a ceasefire to ensure the safety of medical personnel and allow for unhindered access to essential supplies at hospitals like Nasser.
Source: www.dpa.com
