First field hospital enters Gaza since war began

Palestinian officials said a field hospital sent by Jordan entered the Gaza Strip Monday, the first since the beginning of the Israeli war on Gaza.

“The hospital will be established in Khan Yunis, to receive the wounded and the sick, under catastrophic conditions which southern hospitals are experiencing, with the influx of hundreds of wounded each day and continued aggressive aerial and artillery strikes,” said Mohammed Zaqout, director-general of Gaza hospitals.

According to the health ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory, there are around 30,000 injured people across Gaza. While, the death toll has hit 13,000 civilians, the ministry said on Sunday.

Weeks of intense bombardment and severe siege on the city resulting in cutting the necessary supplies for the hospitals to function.

Aed Yaghi, head of medical aid in Gaza, said the field hospital will help ease the pressure on existing health services.

“The number of medical personnel is limited and there aren’t (enough) ambulances,” Yaghi told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Jordanian field hospital arrived to Gaza accompanied by 17 personnel and 40 trucks of medical aid.

All aids and individuals entering Gaza through the Rafah crossing in Egypt are subject to Israeli approval.

The head of Gaza’s crossings authority, Hisham Adwan, said six ambulances from Kuwait also entered the territory on Monday.