![The Race To Save Children At One Of Gaza's Last Hospitals](https://cdn.magzter.com/1591272633/1705034292/articles/VtFNqB78m1705044346875/Gaza.jpg)
An 11-year-old girl with deep-tissue burns so extensive that her extremities have stiffened, screaming from her hospital bed through lungs choked by smoke. A one-year-old infant who endured a traumatic amputation of his leg, still wearing his bloodstained nappy. A stray bullet ricochets into the intensive care unit, as airstrikes pound the streets just metres away.
These are the scenes inside Gaza’s al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, as described by Dr Seema Jilani, who has been working on its wards and in its operating theatres as part of a delegation of medical staff from the humanitarian aid group the International Rescue Committee.
Al-Aqsa Hospital – situated in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza – is “the most important hospital remaining in Gaza’s Middle Area”, according to World Health Organisation chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. It has been at the centre of spiralling violence in recent weeks, as fighting between the Israeli military and Hamas has intensified in the surrounding area.
When Jilani, a paediatrician, first arrived at the hospital in late December, she described seeing black smoke spiralling from bombed-out buildings around 600 metres away from the hospital. Days later, the destruction was just 400 metres away. Each day she was there, the windows would reverberate a little more as the Israeli forces closed in.
“Every day, going up and down the staircase, you would notice the palpable tension rise as people began to get more and more concerned about what it meant, that the hospital was becoming increasingly busy,” says Jilani.
This story is from the January 12, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January 12, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![An emergency cut short our trip - can we get a refund?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/B4lVr7m_B1719901517720/AN-EMERGENCY-CUT-SHORT-OUR-TRIP-CAN-WE-GET-A-REFUND.jpg)
An emergency cut short our trip - can we get a refund?
I am sorry to hear of the reason for curtailing the holiday. In such circumstances, the first issue is the arrangement for returning home early.
!['Winning ugly' Raducanu evokes Three Lions spirit](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/vBDdlfhzg1719901363898/WINNING-UGLY-RADUCANU-EVOKES-THREE-LIONS-SPIRIT.jpg)
'Winning ugly' Raducanu evokes Three Lions spirit
It’s been two years since Emma Raducanu – 2021’s breakthrough British sporting star – strode out onto the Wimbledon stage with the weight of an expectant crowd on her shoulders.
![Southgate hopes the lessons of 1966 can inspire success](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/d4k0NmAXl1719901178141/SOUTHGATE-HOPES-THE-LESSONS-OF-1966-CAN-INSPIRE-SUCCESS.jpg)
Southgate hopes the lessons of 1966 can inspire success
As the Three Lions scrape through to the quarter-finals at Euro 2024, the England manager is drawing on history to keep his whole squad of players hungry
![Shootout sends below-par Portugal into quarter-finals](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/aCoE8k7uU1719901061830/SHOOTOUT-SENDS-BELOWPAR-PORTUGAL-INTO-QUARTERFINALS.jpg)
Shootout sends below-par Portugal into quarter-finals
The Cristiano Ronaldo show rumbled into Frankfurt, and it didn’t disappoint.
![Dour France get lucky to sink Belgium in a stinker](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/5nNVMpl_H1719900108561/DOUR-FRANCE-GET-LUCKY-TO-SINK-BELGIUM-IN-A-STINKER.jpg)
Dour France get lucky to sink Belgium in a stinker
Of course, it wasn’t pretty.
![Bankers' bonuses return as families struggle with bills](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/ndYfebtQW1719900013666/BANKERS-BONUSES-RETURN-AS-FAMILIES-STRUGGLE-WITH-BILLS.jpg)
Bankers' bonuses return as families struggle with bills
The bonus boys and girls look set to make a comeback in the City of London.
![Why Russia is ordering its troops to take no prisoners](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/IUvtKlgox1719899275475/WHY-RUSSIA-IS-ORDERING-ITS-TROOPS-TO-TAKE-NO-PRISONERS.jpg)
Why Russia is ordering its troops to take no prisoners
Putin's commanders in Ukraine are compelling their men to murder defenceless enemies
![Banksy's Glastonbury boat stunt was tasteless and lazy](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/HsOtimjoE1719899145564/BANKSYS-GLASTONBURY-BOAT-STUNT-WAS-TASTELESS-AND-LAZY.jpg)
Banksy's Glastonbury boat stunt was tasteless and lazy
Rather than Coldplay’s “spectacle of a lifetime”, or the return of Avril Lavigne, or the return (again) of the Sugababes, the Glastonbury moment that caught the nation’s attention was a tasteless stunt by Banksy.
![Here's why I'm glad I caused a BA flight to be cancelled](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/o41ZEeFx71719899052294/HERES-WHY-IM-GLAD-I-CAUSED-A-BA-FLIGHT-TO-BE-CANCELLED.jpg)
Here's why I'm glad I caused a BA flight to be cancelled
It was all going swimmingly until we began our descent into Gatwick.
![A 'Republican front' could yet deprive Le Pen of power](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/22095/1752291/bPa7hAwo21719898908640/A-REPUBLICAN-FRONT-COULD-YET-DEPRIVE-LE-PEN-OF-POWER.jpg)
A 'Republican front' could yet deprive Le Pen of power
“We are in uncharted territory”, was the most neutral assessment of the first-round results in France’s legislative elections.