Kamal Adwan Hospital: A Struggle for Survival Amid Conflict #

In the heart of northern Gaza, Kamal Adwan Hospital stands as one of the last remnants of medical aid in a region ravaged by ongoing conflict. The hospital has faced multiple raids by military forces since the onset of hostilities in early October, leading to damage and destruction from direct attacks and nearby bombardments. The majority of its staff have been detained or expelled, leaving only a few medical professionals to care for over 100 patients, often amid harrowing conditions.

The director of the hospital, a pediatrician, has been thrust into the role of surgeon due to the lack of specialized staff. As resources dwindle, he faces the grim task of deciding who receives care. All this while he mourns his son’s death, who was buried on the hospital grounds after being killed in an earlier raid.

For a week spanning late October and early November, he documented the unfolding crisis through audio and video messages. On October 30, he recounted a day spent in the operating theater for the first time, performing life-saving surgery on a young child wounded by bombing. The hospital has appealed for protection, yet no aid materializes.

By October 31, the situation worsened. An attack damaged critical facilities within the hospital, including the third floor, storage for medical supplies, and life-sustaining tanks and equipment. Despite burns and injuries to staff members caught in the violence, around 85 patients, including children and newborns, remained under their care.

As the siege continued into November, the hospital faced shortages in medical supplies and support staff. On November 1, a continuing lack of assistance compounded the suffering, with patients arriving in grave condition—some having nearly bled out upon reaching the hospital. On November 3, bombardments wreaked havoc, shattering windows and doors, instilling fear among patients.

Hoping for reprieve on November 4, the hospital was instead attacked during an evacuation attempt, leading to new injuries among patients. Amid destruction and a lack of equipment to clear the rubble, the emergency room is inundated with the wounded.

By November 6, persistent strikes resulted in the loss of storage rooms and the pharmacy. Even young patients sedated during surgeries became victims of the assault. Medical staff have been wounded, underscoring the grim reality faced by those within this besieged medical outpost.

The hospital strives to survive and serve amid a landscape marred by devastation, its staff and patients bearing the brunt of unrelenting conflict.