News, fighting in Gaza, deaths and more

People inspect damage caused by an artillery shell that hit the maternity hospital inside the Nasser Medical Complex, on December 17, 2023, in Khan Yunis, Gaza. (Photo by Ahmed Hasballah/Getty Images)

Doctors Without Borders warned of a “collapse” of vital medical services at Nasser Hospital, the largest operating hospital in Gaza City.

“Nasser Hospital’s surgical capacity is now almost non-existent, and the small group of medical staff still in the hospital must deal with extremely scarce supplies that are insufficient to handle mass casualty incidents and a large influx of wounded.” Doctors Without Borders said in a statement on Friday, adding that at least one patient died on Wednesday due to the unavailability of an orthopedic surgeon.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said access to Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis “remains a challenge” due to heavy fighting in the surrounding area.

“Hundreds of patients and healthcare workers have fled,” he said in a statement on Friday. “There are currently 350 patients and 5,000 displaced people still in hospital.”

Earlier Friday, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said that “shrapnel” penetrated the walls of its headquarters in the Al-Amal Hospital building in Khan Yunis, which the agency said was surrounded by Israeli tanks.

Meanwhile, the Israeli army said that Hamas was operating from within Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals. CNN cannot independently verify these claims.