Another bloody day of fighting between Israel and Hamas has seen Rafah, in Gaza, bear much of the cost.
With heavy shelling reported in the area, ambulances are facing their own battle to reach the injured, often under heavy fire.
Bashar Murad, head of the ambulance and emergency response for the Palestinian Red Crescent, described the deteriorating situation:
“Movement is so bad. Even in Salah El din street (in Rafah) it is hard to move, because there is random tank shelling in the area. It is hard to move inside and we cannot evacuate the wounded. There are many wounded, still on the streets since yesterday. We cannot get in because the ambulances did not receive a green light to enter these areas.”
The burden felt by emergency crews is only growing as the conflict continues. Over 1,650 Palestinians, mainly civilians, have been killed in fighting so far, with some 8,900 people estimated to have been injured.
Israel, hounded by Hamas rockets and fighters, has seen some 65 Israelis killed, all but two of them soldiers.
