Gaza - (Saba):
The Palestinian NGO Network has issued an urgent appeal to all international bodies, demanding immediate intervention to halt Israeli enemy forces' attacks on health facilities in the northern Gaza Strip and to allow civil defense crews access to Al-Awda Hospital in the Tel al-Zaatar area to extinguish the fire raging inside, a result of deliberate enemy shelling.
The network confirmed in a statement on Thursday that Israeli forces directly targeted the hospital's medicine and fuel stores, causing a massive fire that is still raging. This fire, despite the imposed blockade and the prevention of firefighters from intervening, threatens to completely put the hospital out of service.
It indicated that Israeli forces aim to repeat the scenario of disrupting health services in the northern Gaza Strip, as has happened with other hospitals. It warned that the fire spread to fuel and water tanks, causing significant damage to the hospital's facilities.
The network stressed that enemy tanks are still surrounding the hospital, preventing staff and volunteers from attempting to extinguish the fire, despite the presence of 130 staff and volunteers, along with dozens of patients inside the hospital wards.
The NGO Network called for immediate action from international and human rights organizations to protect the hospital, ensure the safety of staff and patients, provide safe passage for civil defense crews, and provide the necessary protection for the health sector in Gaza.
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