Jan. 28 (UPI) — The Gaza Health Ministry on Sunday urged at least 7,000 wounded Palestinians to leave the occupied territory of Gaza for treatment as Israel’s war continues in the wake of genocide allegations.
“We urgently need 7,000 injured and sick people to leave for treatment abroad to save their lives,” the Gaza Health Ministry said in a statement.
In an earlier statement Sunday, the Gaza Health Ministry said that the Nasser Medical Complex, besieged by Israeli occupation forces, has accumulated medical and non-medical waste “everywhere” inside and outside the facility.
Palestinian officials are also urging for the safe passage to transfer the wounded in need of neurosurgery to the nearby Jordanian Field Hospital.
In total, Israeli forces have killed 26,422 people in Gaza and injured 65,087 more since the violence between Israel and Hamas — the governing entity of Gaza considered a terrorist organization by Israel and the United States — escalated last year.
The families of 150 people killed were forced to bury their dead in the courtyard of the Nasser Medical Complex on Sunday while the bodies of at least 30 unidentified people remain in a freezer in the hospital, which is estimated to run out of fuel for power within four days.
Ayman Safadi, the foreign minister of the Kingdom of Jordan, said Sunday that the allegation that 12 people who worked for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees participated in the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas should not justify intentionally starving people in Gaza – a consequence of nations including the United States pulling funding.
“UNRWA is the lifeline for over two million Palestinians facing starvation in Gaza. It shouldn’t be collectively punished upon allegations against 12 persons out of its 13,000 staff,” Safadi said. “UNRWA acted responsibly and began an investigation. We urge countries that suspended funds to reverse decision.”
Meanwhile, a Palestinian man was shot and injured by Israeli forces in the West Bank, according to the Palestinian state news agency WAFA. He was taken to a local hospital in the city of Salfit.
