Premature infants lie side by side, some wrapped in green cloth for warmth, while others are merely in diapers, in a heartbreaking scene where their lives are in grave danger with every passing minute. These newborns are cared for by exhausted medics at Al-Shifa Hospital, surrounded by Israeli tanks fighting Hamas militants in Gaza. The hospital lacks electricity, water, food, medicine, and essential medical equipment.
Dr. Muhammad Tabashah, head of the pediatric department at Al-Shifa Hospital, said in a phone call on Monday, "Yesterday we had 39 children, today they are 36… I cannot say how long they can survive. We may lose two more children today or within an hour." The premature infants, each weighing less than 1.5 kg, and in some cases only 700 or 800 grams, need to be placed in incubators to regulate temperature and humidity as required.
Dr. Tabashah explained that instead, they were forced to transfer them to regular beds at the beginning of the week due to a lack of electricity. They were placed side by side, surrounded by diaper packs and cardboard boxes containing sterile gauze and plastic bags. He added, "I never expected in my life to place 39 children side by side in a bed, each suffering from a different illness, with a severe shortage of medical staff and milk."
He further stated that the infants' temperatures are critically low and unstable due to the power outages. Without infection control measures, viruses spread among them, severely weakening their immunity. He mentioned there is no longer any means of sterilizing milk and pacifiers according to necessary standards, resulting in some suffering from stomach infections, diarrhea, and vomiting, leading to the risk of severe dehydration.
Dr. Ahmad Al-Makhlati, who is also involved in caring for the children, described the conditions as putting their lives at risk. He said via phone from Al-Shifa Hospital, "They are in a very bad situation, being slowly killed unless someone intervenes to regulate or improve their situation." He added, "These are very critical cases that require very careful handling. Each one needs to be cared for in a very special way. Currently, they are all in an open place, all together."
Dr. Tabashah stated that keeping the children safe requires electricity to operate the incubators and proper sterilization for milk, pacifiers, and medications, as well as support devices in case any of them suffer respiratory failure. He concluded that the situation is horrific for the doctors and nursing staff taking care of the premature infants, consisting of only four individuals. He stated, "We are emotionally and physically exhausted."
