Red Crescent inaugurates field hospital in Gaza Strip

A doctor accompanies an ambulance in Gaza, Palestine. (Twitter/@WHO)

PALESTINIAN RED CRESCENT (PRCS) - The Palestinian Red Crescent (PRCS) on Monday inaugurated the North Field Hospital in the northern Gaza Strip in a ceremony held at the organization's headquarters in Al-Bireh and in Gaza via video conference.

Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa said the opening of the hospital reflects the determination of the Palestinian people to survive and continue to live in the midst of a humanitarian disaster, the destruction of most of Gaza's health sector, and the shortage of medicines, equipment and medical personnel.

"This event combines pain and hope: pain over the suffering experienced by our people in the Gaza Strip, and the hope that efforts will continue to be made to change this reality towards a better situation and a more dignified life," said Prime Minister Mustafa, launching WAFA (10/8).

PM Mustafa said this hospital is a national response to the increasing need for health services as well as a message about the determination of the Palestinian people to continue to survive.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the PRCS President Younis Al-Khatib, Health Minister Majed Abu Ramadan, a number of international partners, as well as the Red Crescent teams in Gaza and the West Bank.

The Prime Minister also reviewed the organization's warehouses and main operations center at its headquarters in Al-Bireh; there, he inspected the supplies of medicines, medical equipment and aid, as well as the preparations for their delivery to the Gaza Strip.

The warehouses hold more than 5,000 pallets of medicines and medical supplies ready to be sent to Gaza, in addition to thousands of other pallets that have been prepared in the supplier's warehouses.

Around 35 ambulances have also been on standby on the Egyptian side, along with around 22 ambulances in the West Bank, to enter the Gaza Strip as soon as permission is granted.

He stressed that the government, under the direction of President Mahmoud Abbas, will continue to support the organization and its partners in strengthening the Gaza health sector.

PM Mustafa appreciated the efforts of the Palestinian Red Crescent and its teams and partners, stressing that the treatment of patients and injured victims is a humanitarian obligation guaranteed by international law.

He called on the international community to shoulder their responsibilities towards the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Al-Khatib stated that the opening of this hospital is a national achievement that has been realized thanks to the efforts of the staff and partners of the organization.

He explained. This hospital is part of the organization's plan to strengthen health services throughout the Gaza Strip amid severe shortages of medical facilities.

It is known that this North Field Hospital is the sixth hospital owned by the organization in the Gaza Strip and is estimated to serve about half a million people.

This hospital will provide emergency, surgical, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, and pediatric and neonatal care, as well as operating rooms, radiology, laboratories, and pharmacy services.

This facility also includes a primary health care clinic and a Northern Regional Ambulance Center.