Morphine Running Out in Gaza Hospitals, Injured Surgeries Being Performed Without Anesthetics

Humanitarian workers at Gaza's hospitals are unable to use morphine or anesthetics due to critically low medical supplies caused by the Israeli blockade.  “Very important are the trauma and surgical kits,” said Leo Cans, head of the Médecins Sans Frontières mission in Jerusalem, in an interview with CNN.  He stated that doctors are performing surgeries without the proper dosage of morphine and that operations are being conducted even without any morphine at all. “We have many children here, and I spoke with one of our surgeons who admitted a 10-year-old yesterday with burns covering 60 percent of his body, and he has no pain relief,” Cans added.

UN experts announced last week that the horrific blockade of Gaza constitutes a violation of international and criminal law by Israel.  “Fuel is necessary for cleaning water,” Cans stated, adding that many residents of Gaza are drinking untreated water, leading to outbreaks of diarrhea. He called for an end to the “indiscriminate bombings.”  “Even war has rules, and civilians cannot be bombed. We have too many children, too many women ending up in the hospital. This is unacceptable.”