An American doctor in Gaza’s hospitals has urged U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff to visit Gaza to witness the humanitarian crisis in hospitals first-hand.
In a video posted online, Elidalis Burgos said the war is hitting civilians the hardest as Israel’s aid blockade is causing severe medical supply shortages in the besieged enclave.
“Come inside and take a look for yourself,” Ms Burgos said in a video shared on X. “Don’t believe what other people are saying, take a look with your own eyes.”
“Every person is affected. This is not just some people. This is the entire population in the Gaza Strip.”
Witkoff arrived in Israel on Thursday to discuss the next steps in addressing the situation in Gaza.
President Donald Trump said earlier this week that he expects food centres to be set up in order to feed more people in Gaza, where starvation has begun to take hold.
It is not the first time Burgos has spoken out. Earlier this month, she described to NBC news how the extreme malnutrition because of the Israeli blockade is affecting Palestinian’s chance of survival.
Referring to a patient, she said: “This young boy is an example of a violent attack... he was also trying to get aid, he has gunshot wound to the head.”
“When there is no nutrition, we may keep them stable for a short time but they won’t thrive, they won’t get better without proper nutrition.
“If you survive the trauma, you may then die from starvation afterwards,” Burgos continued. “This is not just one or two people, this is the entire population.”
A UN-backed security body said on Tuesday a ‘worst-case scenario of famine’ is unfolding in the Gaza Strip, as malnutrition-related deaths continue to rise.
Gaza has teetered on the brink of famine for two years, but recent developments have “dramatically worsened” the situation, including “increasingly stringent blockades” by Israel, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification said.
More than 60,000 Palestinians have died since the war erupted in October 2023, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
