Nearly 500 healthcare personnel killed since the start of Israeli onslaught on Gaza

RAMALLAH: The Ministry of Health has confirmed that nearly 500 healthcare personnel have been killed and hundreds more injured since the onset of the full-fledged Israeli onslaught on Gaza in October of the last year. In a statement released late last night, the ministry detailed that more than 310 individuals have been arrested, and 130 ambulances have been destroyed by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza. Additionally, healthcare facilities and their staff in the West Bank have faced over 340 Israeli attacks during the same period. The ministry pointed out that the deliberate targeting of medical infrastructure by the Israeli occupation forces has severely hampered citizens' access to essential healthcare services. The worsening conditions related to water and sanitation, compounded by overcrowding, have led to a rise in preventable diseases and premature deaths, according to the statement. The ministry added, "Gaza is now confronting a public health disaster due to unsafe water resources and a lack of bas ic hygiene necessities for over 1.7 million forcibly displaced individuals." The statement also noted a critical shortage of healthcare workers and medical supplies, including anesthesia and antibiotics, which has left healthcare providers struggling to save lives. The Ministry of Health called for unconditional humanitarian aid to address the severe shortages and assist in the evacuation of the wounded to receive life-saving medical treatment abroad. Source: Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA