No fewer than 120 newborn babies in incubators in hospitals across Gaza are in danger as fuel supply to the war-torn city runs out, the United Nations Children’s agency cried out on Sunday.
According to AFP, UNICEF’s spokesman, Jonathan Crickx, said, “We have currently 120 neonates who are in incubators, out of which we have 70 neonates with mechanical ventilation, and of course, this is where we are extremely concerned.”
Palestinian territory’s health ministry has revealed that over 1,750 children have already been killed by Israeli strikes launched against the Gaza Strip in retaliation for the October 7 Hamas attacks.
It was learned that Israel ordered a complete blockade of the territory after the October 7 Hamas attacks, which saw the death of 1,400 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli officials.
Israel fears that fuel could help Hamas, although the limited supplies still in Gaza were being diverted to keep the generators for medical equipment running.
However, concerns have grown more, as the seven specialist wards across Gaza treating premature babies to help with breathing and provision of critical support lack electricity.
Amid widespread electricity cuts, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Thursday that hospitals had already run out of fuel for generators.
The WHO said that about 1,000 people needing dialysis will also be at risk if the generators stop.
However, of all the twenty aid trucks that crossed from Egypt into Gaza on Saturday, there was no fuel in the consignment.
The UNICEF spokesman said, “If they (babies) are put in mechanical ventilation incubators, by definition, if you cut the electricity, we are worried about their lives.”
