MSF update on al-Shifa Hospital in northern Gaza

Aurelie Godard, director of the Doctors Without Borders (MSF)’s medical activities in Gaza, has provided a new report on her visit to northern Gaza last week.

While there, she visited al-Shifa Hospital, the medical facility that was subject to a dayslong Israeli siege in November.

Godard painted a grim picture, noting that while the hospital's building is still there, the facility it is barely functioning.

"Al-Shifa hospital is still standing, but it is badly damaged and barely functional," Godard said.

"Staff at Al-Shifa are struggling to care for patients because the needs are huge … The number of patients is very high and medical staff have reported difficulties in many areas, whether with the supply of oxygen, electricity, medical equipment or simply food. All of this makes providing medical care extremely difficult, and they have enormous operating difficulties to overcome."