Doctor in Gaza: Patients 'lying everywhere'Story Highlights

[joanne_h]

NEW: Israel announced on Monday it was opening up border crossingsGAZA CITY (CNN) -- Gaza's main hospital, already overloaded with Palestinians wounded in the week-long Israeli air assault, has reached critical mass, according to a Norwegian doctor volunteering at Shifa Hospital. Word of health facilities being pushed to the limit came as Israel announced on Monday it was opening up border crossings to allow the flow of humanitarian goods into the Palestinian territory. "The injured patients are mainly civilians, a lot of children with dreadful injuries," Dr. Erik Fosse told CNN on Monday, estimating that 20 percent of the more than 500 people dead were children."This figure is rising, and I think it has to do with the development of the war as it moves into the city," he added.After a weeklong series of air strikes, Israel launched a ground assault Saturday night. Watch the latest on the Israeli offensive »"We've had a steady stream (of patients) every day, but the last 24 hours has (seen) about triple the number of cases," Fosse said late Sunday.Fosse said that he estimated that about 30 percent of the casualties at Shifa Hospital on Sunday were children, both among the dead and wounded. The increase in casualties at Shifa followed Israel's ground incursion into Gaza, which it launched on Saturday night. Fosse said 50 patients were "severely wounded" when an Israeli air strike hit a food market in Gaza City. Watch more about the victims of the conflict »"We were operating in the corridors, patients were lying everywhere, and people were dying before they got treatment," he said.Palestinian medical officials said Israeli forces have killed 37 Palestinians -- both civilians and militants -- since moving into the territory. With those deaths, at least 507 Palestinians have been killed in the military operation, including about 100 women and children, officials said.In addition, 2,600 Palestinians have been injured, most of them civilians, officials said. Watch Palestinians describe fearful life in Gaza »Most of the casualties are a result of the air strikes that preceded Saturday night's ground incursion. Shifa is the main hospital in Gaza City. Other hospitals were unable to treat the wounded because of a shortage of supplies and staff. Israel has said the military operation is a necessary self-defense measure after repeated rocket attacks from Gaza into southern Israel by Hamas militants. Israeli leaders say they are trying to minimize civilian casualties in Gaza.Last week, Dr. Eyad El-Sarraj, a psychiatrist who runs Gaza's mental health program, said Gaza was headed for "a major humanitarian disaster" unless the fighting ended soon.El-Sarraj told CNN on Sunday that the violence in Gaza is "the worst he has seen in his life" and said he believes that, as a result, half of the people in Gaza will suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Watch more about the psychological impact of the conflict »Meanwhile, Israel said Monday it will allow 80 trucks filled with humanitarian supplies to pass into Gaza. Jerusalem has been under intense international pressure to let the goods pass, because of shortages of food, medicines and fuel. Trucks carrying food and medical supplies are expected go through the Kerem Shalom border crossing, while 222,000 liters of diesel fuel will pass through the Hahal Oz crossing, according to an Israeli army spokesman. The announcement came after 25 trucks carrying aid and medical supplies were unable to pass through the Gaza-Egypt border at Rafah on Sunday, CNN's Karl Penhaul reported.An official with the humanitarian group World Vision also confirmed that report, saying, "Unfortunately today, they closed the border, so no aid entered Gaza today." "There are food shortages ... The health system is overwhelmed. The people here don't have electricity," added Mohammed El-Halaby, program manager for World Vision, adding that several power lines and water pumps were damaged by last week's air strikes. Egyptian authorities said the guards who were manning the Palestinian side of the border had abandoned their posts. Aid workers and drivers banged on the gate to protest the closure. Watch "absurd" situation at border crossing »An official with the humanitarian group World Vision also confirmed that report, saying: "Unfortunately today, they closed the border, so no aid entered Gaza today.""There are food shortages ... The health system is overwhelmed. The people here don't have electricity," added Mohammed El-Halaby, program manager for World Vision, adding that several power lines and water pumps were damaged by last week's air strikes.On Saturday -- before Israel launched its ground incursion -- old Palestinian ambulances had carried the wounded across the border, where patients were loaded into modern ambulances. Most of those taken into Egypt were civilians, including a teenage boy with his arm blown off, as well as a 4-day-old baby, who was not injured but needed to be kept on a ventilator and in an incubator. iReport.com: Share reactions to the crisis in the Middle EastAbout 10 truckloads of donations from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey and Greece crossed into Gaza on Saturday.

 

[Christina]

Sorry but sometimes when you create your own problems you end up paying the price these people will not stand up to Hamas ..Hamas puts their weapons in civilian households so this happens ...They do nothing to stop it and even support it. I dont wish it on anyone but hey if you are going support Gods enemies and not stand up to terrorist thugs bad things happen ... Didnt see them complaining when Hamas fired missiles at Israel from there roof tops into Jewish civilian neighbor hoods ...

 

[Jordan]

Evil triumph when good men does nothing. And everybody seems to do nothing, and doing nothing is supporting God's enemies. And God has and will always love Israel...

 

[tim_from_pa]

(Christina;67191)
Sorry but sometimes when you create your own problems you end up paying the price these people will not stand up to Hamas ..Hamas puts their weapons in civilian households so this happens ...They do nothing to stop it and even support it. I dont wish it on anyone but hey if you are going support Gods enemies and not stand up to terrorist thugs bad things happen ... Didnt see them complaining when Hamas fired missiles at Israel from there roof tops into Jewish civilian neighbor hoods ...
I agree. I feel sorry for little ones that know no better, but overall the people supported HAMAS, or like you said at least allowed it to happen. And a few short years ago they all said there was going to be peace if only Israel backed out, if only Israel did this or did that then there would be peace. I've never seen it worse. I think it's crystal clear who is the real trouble-maker and has the chip on their shoulder. In spite of that, I am astounded how blind the rest of the world is and puts the blame on Israel instead. It seems no matter what Israel does, they are still to blame according to them.