Israeli-Gaza Conflict: Medical Crisis Looming as Palestine Drafts UN Resolution

Palestinian medics wheel a stretcher transporting a boy, who hospital officials said was wounded in an Israeli air strike, at a hospital in Gaza City.Reuters

There is an alarming medical crisis looming large in the Gaza Strip region with an increase in the number of dead and injured victims in the hospitals even as the Israeli aerial offensive continues.

Emergency areas are becoming increasingly overcrowded with patients and hospitals are running short of resources to address the situation in Gaza.

A Health Ministry spokesperson, cited by CNN, has said ambulances cannot run in full force to pick up wounded victims because of a fuel shortage. In addition, medical facilities have to contend with an acute power shortage which is threatening to aggravate already deteriorating medical conditions if the ongoing violence does not come to a halt.

Palestine officials have said no less than 113 people have been killed so far, most of them civilians. Local media reports cite a higher death toll.

Since the operation, codenamed Protective Edge, began five days ago, the Israeli aerial forces have hit more than 1,000 targets in the Gaza region.

Both the Israeli side and the militant group Hamas - the dominant force in the Gaza Strip - have so far not shown any signs of backing down.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) has said it would press ahead and bombard civilian areas if they are used as cover for Hamas' military purposes. The IDF has released the latest images of schools and houses which are being used by Hamas as training and rocket launching facilities.

Amid the mounting civilian casualties in Palestine, the authorities have turned to the UN seeking a ceasefire.

According to Associated Press, which has obtained a copy of the Security Council resolution drafted by Palestine, the proposal has called for "an immediate, durable and fully respected ceasefire."

Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated he would "resist" growing international pressure and insisted a ceasefire is not being considered at the moment.