Gaza City: The Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) resumed operations at its Al-Quds Hospital in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood west of Gaza City, following its bombing and destruction during the Israeli aggression, specifically in November 2023. The hospital announced that it will begin receiving wounded, injured, and sick individuals as well as visitors starting next Friday at 9:00 AM, despite the damage it sustained. This decision came after a meeting with the Gaza Emergency Committee, in light of the urgent need for medical services in the Gaza Strip and the northern Gaza Strip during the current situation.
According to Palestine News and Information Agency – WAFA, medical and administrative teams have been working over the past weeks to rehabilitate the hospital amid a severe shortage of medical equipment and supplies. Two operating rooms, an emergency department, a reception area, and outpatient clinics have been equipped, along with the activation of the intensive care unit and diagnostic departments, such as radiology and the laboratory, to ensure the provision of comprehensive medical services.
Israeli occupation forces besieged Al-Quds Hospital for weeks, preventing medical staff and supplies from entering, bringing it to a complete standstill. The hospital’s surroundings also witnessed heavy shelling, which destroyed large parts of the hospital and damaged the emergency departments and laboratories. The Moroccan building, a key part of the Al-Quds complex, was also severely damaged, along with the burning of some facilities.
PRCS crews continued to work amidst the destruction to rehabilitate the hospital, facing significant challenges due to a shortage of materials and the difficulty of importing medical equipment. Nevertheless, the teams were able to restore some vital departments, allowing medical services to resume.
The PRCS explained that the hospital’s reopening affirms and responds to the ongoing efforts to provide healthcare to people in Gaza, despite the ongoing challenges.