Mainly about Al Shifa [bombed front of hospital 3]

[Efacsen]

Continuation from thread 3

The on-going dire situation at the hospital

I'm not sure of the significance of this move by the UN

UN chief invokes article 99 on Gaza in rare, powerful move

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has invoked what is widely considered to be the most powerful diplomatic tool at his disposal.

In a letter to the UN Security Council, Guterres invoked Article 99 of the UN Charter, which states that “the Secretary-General may bring to the attention of the Security Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of international peace and security”.

The letter represents the first time Guterres has invoked the article since he took over the role of UN secretary-general on January 1, 2017.

In the letter, Guterres calls for the Security Council to press to avert a humanitarian catastrophe and appeals for a humanitarian ceasefire to be declared in Gaza.

Here's a bit more about what was in Guterres letter - don't disagree with him but what's the likely effect of Article 99, I wonder

Guterres warns Security Council of impending, irreversible collapse in Gaza

In his letter invoking Article 99, Guterres warned he expects public order in Gaza to soon break down as the humanitarian system totally collapses.

“The situation is fast deteriorating into a catastrophe with potentially irreversible implications for Palestinians as a whole and for peace and security in the region,” he wrote.

“Such an outcome must be avoided at all cost.”

The international community has “a responsibility to use all its influence to prevent further escalation and end this crisis”, said Guterres.

.

@Efacsen thank you for sharing that
I had never heard of article 99 before
I'm going to look it up now

Do you think anything will come out of this? I have been checking the updates on MSM and its getting worse and worse
I can't see how much longer it can go on for before we start seeing mass deaths at a much larger scale than we are now
Not only due to bombing, but lack of life saving aid and spread of disease

It sounds like such an obvious letter to write. Stop killing thousands of children.

But wait for the twisting of words and semantics and “what is your evidence that there is humanitarian crisis” and “you’re anti semitic if you oppose Israel’s right to defend itself”

@Parkingt111 that's a good idea - and yes feel quite despairing about how everything is unravelling

I have just had a quick look and it does seem to be quite a significant move
It shows how dire the situation is
I think alot depends how the US responds to it
But regardless it will put further pressure

@Parkingt111 from what I can see it's only been used twice - in 1959 [Congo] Belgian army arriving un-invited in the Congo and in 1966 [Tunisia] when French airforce was invading Tunisian airspace so it's a pretty uncommon step

Particularly when you consider all the dreadful things that have happened in the world in the last 50 something years and it wasn't used

He must be really concerned. Did it have much effect when used before, do you know?

It was a very long article in olde worlde typeface - skimming it didn't really answer that question - I'll have another go later

@Efacsen Oh don't worry unless you want to. I think the news will probably explain more later. Thank you, though!

Yeah hoping there's a team of journalists on the case

With regards the Jordanian Field hospital, 7 medics were injured by what the Jordanian Army says was an Israeli strike in Nov. It was condemned by France, Japan etc The US expressed deep concern.
Jordan wants to set up another hospital. 800 doctors volunteered: "However, their entry to the besieged strip has not yet been facilitated due to hindrances by the Israeli side, she said. Fakhoury explained that entering Gaza has always been difficult even before the war due to the Israeli restrictions. “We are doing what we can to help the people in Gaza, but it is not enough. Our hands are tied and our hearts burn for the tragedies we see unfolding there."

Honestly Israel is a danger to all of us. Destabilizing the region and increasing tensions across the world.

You mean the terrorist organisation in Gaza is danger to all of us. Destabilizing the region and increasing tensions across the world.

A little unequivocally good news

Several places have photos of the premature babies from al-Shifa who were evacuated to Egypt. at the New Administrative Capital Hospital NICU in Cairo

.

Not much in the way of specific hospital news - all still overwhelmed and under-resourced

One hospital was evacuated by the UN yesterday - not named as far as can see

Here it is - feedback from US on whether IDF is keeping civilians safe - don't think this bodes well for US not using it's veto at UNSC wrt UAE motion for humanitarian ceasefire

Blinken believes Israel taking steps to protect civilians in South

In the last week, we've seen more US leaders begin to voice disquiet with Israel's tactics.

The US Secretary of State in an interview with CNN yesterday said he believed Israel was taking more steps to protect civilians in their offensive into southern Gaza.

“I said to them very clearly when I was there just a week ago, we cannot have a repeat of what happened in the north in the south in terms of harm being done to civilians,” Antony Blinken told CNN.

“What we’re seeing is areas clearly designated by Israel that are safe areas, where there’s not going to be firing or the military. We’ve seen efforts to make sure that people know that they need to move – and not in the entire city, but just discrete neighborhoods. So that’s positive,” Blinken said.

However UN officials have consistently disputed these safe zones, saying the idea of any "safe zone" is a "dangerous false narrative".

"These are tiny patches of barren land. They have no water, no facilities, no shelter from the cold, no sanitation," a Unicef spokesman James Elder told the BBC earlier this week. Other UN officials and locals have also made similar alarming calls.
The UN has also said there is nowhere left for people in the South to evacuate to.

I found this on sky news today
It's the UAE field hospital that has been set up in Rafah
Doesn't mention at what capacity it is functioning though. Il see if I can find more on that

I read yesterday that An-nassar only have a few staff left working compared to the 35-40 they usually do
The roads around the hospital have been bombed and at times roo dangerous or impossible for staff to get there to work

@Efacsen thanks for sharing that
Unfortunately it doesn't seem like much input from the US in taking further measures at the humanatarian catastrophe that has unfolded

I'm waiting still to see their response the article 99 being invoked by the UN head

I did see that the head of EU is calling for it to be backed

Time difference means it's only 6am in NY at present so hopefully will hear more from US gov and UNSC in a couple of hours

Various ministers from the Gulf states and other parts of ME have flown overnight to lobby US gov

IDF have just announced Hamas are firing rockets from al-Maswari 'safe area' which is packed with internally displaced people

What a bloody mess which will only be alleviated by a humanitarian ceasefire

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12836551/Its-apocalyptic-Hamas-dug-tunnels-civilians-Inside-Israeli-artillery-unit-hitting-Gaza-Strip-IDF-close-terror-leaders-home.html

There was a snippet about the current state of al-Shifa on AJ - many internally displaced people have returned seeking protection and hosp is functioning as a first aid centre

PRCS have said they can no longer provide ambulance services in northern gaza as they have no fuel and there is no functioning hospital to which they can take the injured

This is the latest from Al Aqsa hospital
No more space for the dead bodies
The morgue is full, supplies are low
And it's the first time since the war that they have recieved more dead people than injured

I know previously when the morgues were full, they were storing bodies in ice cream trucks
I just hope the shelling stops long enough for them to bury the dead

Or If the deceased can be somehow transported to Mawasi or further south to be buried there

Al Aqsa is in Central Gaza