American surgeon Adam Hamwi, a volunteer at the European Gaza Hospital in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, confirmed that the medical team is doing its best to deal with complex cases of injury, especially among children, in light of the complete closure of the crossings.
Hamwi explained in an interview with Anadolu Agency that they were able to bring medical supplies and medicines into their bags, but they are not sufficient for the needs of hospitals that suffer from a severe shortage of medicines and medical devices.
He also pointed out that the cases arriving at hospitals are mostly children and civilians with complex conditions.
It is noteworthy that Hamwi arrived in Gaza about two weeks ago as part of the Palestinian American Medical Association (PAMA) team, consisting of 20 doctors, nurses and pharmacists of different nationalities, to support the collapsed health system in Gaza due to the ongoing Israeli war since October 7, 2023. .
After Israel took control of the Rafah crossing on May 7, Hamwi and his team were stuck in the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, which prevented them from leaving the Strip or bringing humanitarian aid into it.
The closure of the crossing hindered the exit of the wounded and sick to receive treatment abroad, and further deteriorated the health situation in the Gaza Strip.
Hamwi confirmed that they are trying to provide whatever medical services they can, despite the limited capabilities and the constant targeting of the hospital surroundings.
He pointed out that most American doctors were able to leave, while there are doctors from Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, Oman, and Australia still stuck in Gaza.
An international warning against the cessation of relief
For its part, the United Nations warned of a “complete cessation” of relief work in the Gaza Strip within a few days if the entry of fuel into the Strip continues, stressing the urgent need to open the crossings and increase the flow of humanitarian aid.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency, the spokeswoman for the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Gaza, Olga Cherevko, described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as “catastrophic and getting worse day by day.”
She also explained that less than a third of hospitals in Gaza can provide partial services, and no hospital can provide services at full capacity.
Israel has continued its aggression against the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, despite the issuance of a resolution by the UN Security Council to immediately stop the fighting, and despite the International Court of Justice’s demand to take immediate measures to prevent acts of “genocide” and improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.