Starvation and lack of blood bags in Gaza forcing doctors to turn away donors

Shortage of donations disrupting surgery and medical operations

Gaza’s severe shortage of blood bags, compounded by famine, is forcing doctors to turn away would-be donors.

Dr Wail Al Laithy, director of the blood bank at Al Shifa Hospital, told The National the shortage of blood bags, a result of Israel’s blockade, remains critical, despite a recent delivery from banks in the occupied West Bank.

He added that even when bags are available, many people are turned away because they appear malnourished.

“More than 60 per cent of people who come to donate blood we don’t accept because they look pale and are most probably starving,” he said.

“We had clear criteria to accept blood donations. But because of the difficult situation, with widespread malnutrition and famine, you can no longer find people who meet those requirements.”

The lack of donations is disrupting surgery for the thousands injured in Israel’s war on Gaza, which has killed more than 62,000 Palestinians and wounded tens of thousands more.

The UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs on Friday declared famine in Gaza city, the enclave’s capital and largest urban centre, and warned it would spread to Deir Al Balah in central Gaza and Khan Younis in the south by the end of September.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said earlier this year that its teams could no longer provide blood bags to Nasser Hospital because of depleted stocks, even as waves of patients wounded by relentless Israeli bombardment kept arriving.

For Gaza residents, the donation process itself has changed dramatically. Saed El Arabid, who was donating blood to a clinic for his uncle, described the deterioration.

“In the past, we used to come to the bank and donate blood for anyone who needed it," he said. "Today, that’s no longer the case. There aren’t enough blood bags available in the bank.

“They used to check my blood levels before taking any donation. This time, I just came in and gave blood. It’s a testament to the obstacles we face.”

Meanwhile, five journalists were among at least 20 people killed in Israeli attacks on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis on Monday, health officials said. Another 11 people died of malnutrition in the 24 hours, bringing the total to 300, including 117 children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.