Hundreds missing from Gaza’s Al-Aqsa Hospital, only 5 doctors remain: WHO
Gaza: The Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in central Gaza, the primary medical facility in the governorate of Deir el-Balah, has faced severe disruption as a result of intensified bombing, leading to the evacuation of both medical staff and approximately 600 patients. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) reported the concerning situation after visiting the hospital on Sunday.
Witnessing distressing scenes, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described people of all ages receiving treatment on blood-streaked floors and in chaotic corridors. The hospital, critical for providing medical services in the region, is now facing challenges due to the evacuation orders and safety concerns, with a significant reduction in the number of health staff. As of the latest reports, only five doctors remain, and the existing personnel are experiencing shortages of essential supplies, including food.
According to a post from the Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, his staff witnessed “sickening scenes of people of all ages being treated on blood-streaked floors and in chaotic corridors.
“Al Aqsa is the most important hospital remaining in Gaza’s Middle Area and must remain functional, and protected, to deliver its lifesaving services,” Dr Ghebreyesus stated.
“Further erosion of its functionality cannot be permitted – doing so in the face of such trauma, injury and humanitarian suffering would be a moral and medical outrage.”
“During today’s mission, we were informed that evacuation orders and lack of safety had forced most health staff to leave. Tonight’s reports indicate that only 5 doctors remain. Hospital management said health workers had no food,” WHO chief wrote.
Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC) reported the cessation of life-saving and critical activities by their emergency medical team at the hospital due to increased Israeli military activity. The UN and WHO dispatched an emergency team that distributed medical supplies, including support for dialysis and trauma care for thousands of patients. Plans for deploying additional emergency staff are in progress to address the escalating humanitarian crisis at the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital.
The WHO Director-General emphasized the importance of preserving the hospital's functionality to deliver life-saving services amid the ongoing trauma, injury, and humanitarian suffering.
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Madhya Pradesh: BJP leader assaults blind woman in Church
Jabalpur: Anju Bhargava, vice-president of BJP's Jabalpur city unit, has come under sharp scrutiny, creating the ripples of political controvery in Madhya Pradesh, after a video surfaced online showing her physically assaulting a visually impaired woman inside a church.
The New Indian Express has reported that the said incident reportedly took place on Saturday (20 Dec) at a church in the Hawa Bagh area, which comes under the limits of Gorakhpur police station.
The video footage that has circulated widely on Monday shows Anju Bhargava, assaulting the blind woman in the presence of a police officer. In the video, Bhargava is seen shouting at the woman, twisting her arm and forcibly grabbing her face. The victim can be heard pleading to Bhargava to speak to her rather than resorting to physical violence. Also, we can hear Bhargava screaming, “will be blind in her next birth too”
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According to The Indian Express reports, Bhargava entered the church, with members of several Hindutva affiliated organisations, alleging that the visually impaired children were being forced into religious conversion; But, the students present at the church have flatly denied all the allegations.
An unnamed police officer cited in media reports states that there was no evidence to support claims of forced religious conversion. The incident has since intensified political debate in the state, with opposition parties demanding accountability and action against those involved.
