Gaza hospitals running out of supplies as airstrikes by Israel continue, medics say

Hospitals in Gaza are running out of essential supplies, with new waves of Israeli airstrikes killing more than 50 people and injuring more than 100 in recent days, medical and aid workers in the devastated Palestinian territory have said.

- Jason Burke

Medics told the Guardian yesterday that stocks of gauze, antiseptics, thermometers and antibiotics were running low.

Mohammed Saqr, the director of nursing at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, said: "We are still suffering a severe lack of most of our supplies and medicines. We have daily crises, and the same shortages and deficiencies in supplies, and we are still exhausted, as we are still receiving lots of casualties. There isn't much difference from the period before the ceasefire. Unfortunately, the bombing is still going on."

Humanitarian organisations have sent hundreds of tonnes of supplies into Gaza since the US-backed ceasefire came into effect last month, but stocks of medicine and supplies remain insufficient.

Joe Belliveau, the executive director of MedGlobal, a US-based NGO, speaking from al-Mawasi, in southern Gaza, said: "There are staff shortages, not enough ambulances... The whole health system is still on its knees."

Gaza's health ministry has reported more than 300 deaths in Israeli strikes since the ceasefire, and medics say huge numbers of people are suffering the consequences of malnutrition, adverse weather conditions, a lack of shelter and new outbreaks of disease.