Gaza fears worst as Israel escalates its siege | News

Gaza City – Fear increases for the safety of people with health problems, because all sick hospitals are largely without power and the Palestinian Territory has a coronavirus outbreak.

Two million people survive on just four hours of electricity a day after Israel cut off fuel supplies, leading to the shutdown of Gaza’s only power plant last week.

Israel took the step toward the ongoing launch of burning balloons from the coastal slave to Israeli communities around the Gaza Strip by activists who demanded the crippling 13-year-old blockade.

At 5:30 a.m. local time, Salwa al-Bitar, 40, arrived at al-Shifa Hospital to begin her four-hour dialysis treatment in central Gaza City, which she requires once a week, prior to arrival. of other patients for life-saving treatment.

“The situation is worse than ever in addition to the precautionary measures to prevent COVID-19 infections. We are afraid of the effects of the fuel shortage on hospitals,” he said. al-Bitar told Al Jazeera.

“My body is very sensitive. With only four hours of electricity, it’s like experiencing death in life. I can not breathe because I can not use any fan, air conditioning, or a substitute to alleviate the shortage of electricity. treat. “

Ashraf al-Qidra, a spokesman for Gaza’s health ministry, said the cuts in power “had dangerous consequences” for hospitals with 120 premature babies in need of incubators, 100 patients in intensive care, and 950 people with kidney failure who are necessary hemodialysis sessions every week.

“In addition, the electricity crisis is endangering daily operations, caesarean sections and laboratories … because the old generators can barely meet the electricity needs in this crisis,” al-Qidra told Al Jazeera.

Salwa al-Bitar at al-Shifa Hospital received her four-hour dialysis treatment [Ashraf Amra/Al Jazeera]

‘Decayed health system’

On Monday night, a total blockade was imposed on the besieged Gaza Strip after authorities confirmed the first coronavirus infections.

“The announcement of COVID-19 cases within the community in Gaza puts the deteriorating health care system through the blockade at a dangerous new point, and it is difficult to resist without regional and international support,” al-Qidra said.

Mohamed al-Qawwas, 55, has to visit the dialysis unit three times a week, and he expressed concern about the arrival of COVID-19 in Gaza. He has diabetes and heart disease, which make a potential infection extremely dangerous.

“I go to the hospital three times a week and due to lack of fuel and equipment I wait about two hours to start my four-hour session,” al-Qawwas told Al Jazeera. “This excites my heart and mind.”

On August 11, Israel stopped the entry of some materials into Gaza, but days later banned all crossings through the only commercial crossing except food and medicine. The sea was also made inaccessible to fishermen on 16 August.

Mohamed al-Qawa’s statement on COVID-19 over diabetes and heart disease [Ashraf Amra/Al Jazeera]

‘Ignore crimes’

Fawzi Barhoum – a spokesman for Hamas, the rulers of Gaza – called the move by Israel “a crime against humanity”.

“If the occupation thinks that this siege will undermine the determination and persistence of our people and their resistance, and that it will achieve security for them, that is delusional,” Barhoum said in a statement.

He truncated on intervention by the international community. “We call on human rights and humanitarian institutions and the international community – and decision-makers in the region – to break their silence and work to curb Zionist aggression and end the blockade of Gaza.

“The absence of deterrent decisions for the occupation, but ignoring their crimes and normalizing with them is the main reason for their persistence in their crimes and transgressions against Palestinians.”

The Palestinian Business Association in Gaza announced Monday that nearly 2,000 businesses have been affected in whole or in part by the shutdown of the plant.

“Preventing the entry of various materials necessary for the activity of the industrial and health sector threatens to have dangerous consequences on the strategic stock of basic necessities, threat of food insecurity, high unemployment and poverty rates,” Ali al- Hayek, head of the association, told Al Jazeera.

The price of bread is rising because of the intensified siege of Gaza by Israel [Ashraf Amra/Al Jazeera]

Food shortage

Walid al-Efranj, sales manager of a bakery chain, said fuel shortages were already affecting food production in the territory.

“The food sector in Gaza has been negatively affected by the lack of fuel, as there is a reduction in production. And because of the coronavirus crisis, consumers are calling for food for the period of the home quarantine, which.” t forced us to work longer with fuel generators that increase production costs for us, ”he said.

Ahmed Labib al-Helou, head of the Association of Owners of Oil and Gas Companies in Gaza, warned of “disastrous consequences” on fuel supply if the closure of the Karem Abu Salem (known in Israel as Kerem Shalom)commercial transition with the Israeli side continues.

Fishermen are also worried.

“We are dependent on daily wages from the sale of the fish catch. If we do not work we can not pay for food for our families, and for the 13th day in a row there is no source of income due to the ban on fishing. , “said Khaled al-Habil, 40, a fisherman from the al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City.

“In addition to the implications of COVID-19 and precautionary measures that have reduced our fish supply over the past three months, Israel has now closed the sea. Two enemies against us – that’s too much.”

Palestinian politician Jamal al-Khudari, chairman of the National Committee to confront the siege against Gaza, said the reopening of the commercial crossing was necessary with Gaza now ahead of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The coronavirus pandemic is entering Gaza in dire humanitarian, health and environmental conditions, in light of the intensification of the occupation siege,” he said in a statement.

Palestinian sources confirmed the Qatari envoy to Gaza, Mohammed al-Emadi, was in the enclave on Wednesday as part of mediation efforts to reduce tensions between Israel and Hamas and fears of another full-scale war.