It’s devastating for his family. It’s devastating for people in the north who are relying on so few doctors
A doctor believed to be the last remaining orthopedic surgeon in northern Gaza has been killed by Israeli tankfire, according to Palestinian officials.
Dr Sayeed Joudeh died on Thursday while he was on his way to work.
He was a surgeon at Kamal Adwan and al-Awda hospitals in northern Gaza.
The Israeli military said it was unaware of the incident, but it was investigating.
The grandfather had come out of retirement to help during the war.
Last month speaking at a press conference at the Kamal Adwan Hospital, he held up a placard that read “Save US”.
It didn’t work.
“On his way to al-Awda Hospital to evaluate a patient, one of the tanks fired on him directly,” according to Dr Hussam Abu Safiya, director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital.
“Unfortunately, he was killed instantly.”
But some eyewitnesses say Dr Joudeh was shot by a drone.
Israel does not allow foreign journalists unrestricted access to Gaza.
But from Jerusalem, I spoke to Louise Wateridge from the main United Nations aid agency in Gaza.
“It’s devastating for his family. It’s devastating for people in the north who are relying on so few doctors,” said Ms Wateridge.
“Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are not hospitals anymore,” she said.
“There’s no sanitation. There are hardly any doctors. There’s no medical equipment. Patients are dying needlessly.”
Ms Wateridge described the humanitarian situation in Gaza as apocalyptic.
For more than two months much of Northern Gaza has been under Israeli siege and bombardment.
Israel says it is targeting Hamas operatives who have been regrouping there.
bbc.com