The desperate situation that prevails inside at Al-Sifa Hospital in Gaza the plastic surgeon describes Dr. Ahmed Mokhallati who, speaking to the BBC, cannot contain his frustration, anger and concern for patients.

“Are they waiting for us all to die here and then say ‘we were good people’?” wonders the surgeon who sees no help from the Red Cross and the British and American governments.

He claimed that both the staff and the patients of the hospital are afraid as Israeli soldiers move into the building and pointed out that people who tried to leave the hospital in recent days were fired upon by Israeli forces, killing some.

Regarding what the Israeli forces claim that the Hamas command center is under the hospital, he said that has never seen a single Hamas weapon or a Hamas member in the hospital, although he said there are tunnels under every building in Gaza, including Al-Sifah.

Dr Mokhallalati insisted there were only civilians in the hospital and challenged the Israeli military to provide evidence that Hamas was operating there.

Without electricity, oxygen and water

Dr Ahmed Mokhallalati also told the BBC that the hospital is without electricity, oxygen and water and added that six premature babies died in the last few days. He expressed concern that more will die in the coming days due to lack of oxygen and energy.

He further said that the basic surgeries were performed on Tuesday only with light sedation and the patients were “screaming in pain”. However, surgeries could not be performed on Wednesday.

Dr Mokhallalati said doctors were unable to help a burn patient yesterday due to a lack of equipment, including ventilators, and had to “just let him die”.

Asked if Israeli troops had offered medical aid to the hospital, he replied: “If it were up to me, I would have refused [κάθε βοήθεια]. They kill us for 40 days and want to offer me saline drips.”