Indonesian Hospital treats 54 Palestinians in Gaza

JAKARTA, Aug 8 (Bernama) -- The Indonesian Hospital in Gaza treated 54 injured Palestinians as well as dealt with eight killed since Israel began its offensive in Gaza Strip on Friday.

According to the Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C) of Indonesia, the hospital in northern Gaza’s Bayt Lahiya has become very important during an attack.

"The Indonesian hospital is the main place for victims of attacks to seek immediate medical treatment," said Indonesian MER-C volunteer Reza Aldilla Kurniawan in a statement.

According to data on the website of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, the death toll rose to 44 people, including 15 children and four women, with 360 civilians injured.

The emergency treatment room, named 'Teungku Chik di Tiro' after an Acehnese warrior, became the busiest room after the attack.

"The emergency treatment room continues to receive victims with various levels of injuries while the mortuary is also visited by many residents of Gaza," said Reza.

When a patient dies, Gazans come in groups to bring and accompany the body to the cemetery, he said.

The four-storey hospital, which opened in 2015 at a cost of US$8.7 million, was funded by MER-C Indonesia through public donations and supported by the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The hospital is run by Gazans and assisted by some Indonesian MER-C volunteers.

Reza, who lives in the Wisma Dr Joserizal Jurnalis accommodation complex of Hospital Indonesia, also felt the vibration and the sound of a loud explosion during the attack.

Indonesia's Foreign Ministry, in a tweet on its official Twitter account, wrote: “Indonesia strongly condemned the attacks carried out by Israel, which are on civilian casualties, including children.”

The largest Muslim country in the world also “calls upon the United Nations to take immediate and concrete steps to stop these acts of violence and aggression in order to avoid more victims and worsen the situation.”

-- BERNAMA