Gaza Lack of Blood | Israeli-Palestine conflict

I live near the Nasser hospital west of Khan Younis City. Almost every day, I hear desperate calls for blood donations made on speakers outside the hospital. It has been like that for over a year.

The hospital, like other barely functional health establishments in Gaza, has been regularly overwhelmed by victims of Israeli air proceedings. Since the end of May, he has also received many victims killed by Israeli soldiers on aid distribution sites.

I had already given blood before, and I felt that it was my duty to start again. So last morning, I went to Nasser Hospital.

While the blood was taken from my arm, I felt serious dizziness and I thought I was going to pass out. My friend, nurse Hanan, who was one of the workers in the blood donation campaign, rushed to me and raised her legs to increase the blood flow to my brain until I feel better. She went to test my blood, and after 10 minutes returned to tell me that I suffered from serious anemia and malnutrition. My blood did not contain the minimum nutrients necessary for the donation.

Hanan told me that my case was no exception. She explained that most people who visited the hospital to give blood suffer from anemia and malnutrition following the current Israeli blockage and the absence of nutritious foods, such as meat, milk, eggs and fruits. Two -thirds of the blood units given to the hospital have extremely low hemoglobin and iron levels, which makes them unusable for blood transfusions.

In early June, Dr Sofia Za’abaDirector of the laboratory and the blood bank, told the media that the serious shortage of blood units had reached “critical” levels, threatening the lives of patients, many of whom require urgent blood transfusions. The Gaza set needs 400 units per day.

“Despite the contacts of the Ministry of Health in the West Bank to transfer blood units, the occupation authorities prevented their entry (in Gaza),” said Dr. Za’arab.

After the failure of the blood donation, I returned home crushed.

I knew that famine was on me. I lost a lot of weight. I suffer from constant fatigue, chronic joint pain, headache and dizziness. Even when I write my journalistic articles or my studies, I have to take short breaks.

But the revelation of the severity of my state of health really struck me.

For months, my family and I have only eaten pasta and rice, due to the astronomical cost of flour. We eat one meal a day, and sometimes even a half-repas to give more food to my younger brothers and sisters. I worry that they are poorly fed. They have also lost a lot of weight and constantly ask for food.

We have not seen meat, eggs or dairy products since Israel imposed the complete blockade on March 2, and, even before that, we have rarely done.

Gaza health authorities have said that at least 66 children died of famine since the start of the Israeli genocidal war. According to UNICEF, more than 5,000 children were admitted to band health establishments for the treatment of acute malnutrition in May, alone.

Even if some of these children are miraculously saved, they will not be able to grow in good health, develop their full potential and enjoy a stable and safe life.

But beyond the anxiety that I felt about toll famine took on my body and on the bodies of my family members, I also felt pain because I had not helped the wounded.

I wanted to help those who suffer from war wounds and who fight for their life in the hospital because I am a human being.

After all, the desire to help another person is one of the most human instincts we have. Solidarity is what defines our humanity.

When you want to save a life but you are prevented from doing it, it means that a brand new horizon of despair has opened. When you want to help with the little bit you have – in this case, part of yourself – but you are refused, it leaves a deep scar on the soul.

For 21 months now, we have been refused all our human rights registered in international law: the right to water and food, the right to health care and housing, the right to education, the right to free movement and asylum, the right to life.

Now we have reached a point where even the desire to save the lives of others, the right to show human solidarity, is refused.

All this is not by chance, but by design. The genocide not only kills people; It also targets humanity and solidarity of people. C charitable organizations and bombed food kitchens to people encouraged to transport knives and form gangs to steal and steal food, the strong solidarity that has passed the Palestinian people to cross this genocide – through 75 years of suffering and dispossession – is directly attacked.

The cracks may appear in our common obligations, but we will repair them. We are a big family in Gaza, and we know how to cure and support each other. The humanity of the Palestinian people has always been victorious.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Al Jazeera.