'We carry our coffins with us': For Gaza's paramedics, every shift could be their last

In Gaza, the frontline is not conscionable wherever the bombs autumn - it's wherever the ambulances arrive.

When an Israeli airstrike deed a engaged marketplace successful Gaza City today, radical were queuing for flour.

Minutes later, medics were picking up assemblage parts. The bodies were heaved onto stretchers, mutilated limbs twisted unnaturally. Blood soaked the concrete.

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Sky News has spent respective days filming with exigency crews based astatine Shifa Hospital, Gaza's largest aesculapian analyzable and 1 that has itself travel nether repeated attack.

There are fewer paramedics left, and less ambulances. Fuel is low. Equipment is basic. They run successful 1 of the astir unsafe places successful the world, wherever the medics themselves are nary longer spared.

"There is nary safety", says Hamdallah Ali Daher, a paramedic from Jabalia Camp successful bluish Gaza.

"When we respond to a strike, drones are inactive overhead. They targeted my workfellow successful 1 of our vehicles. You could beryllium walking immoderate time and get hit."

The information is constant. Daher describes however they run nether the hum of drones, often arriving astatine scenes wherever fume inactive rises from the wreckage. "We spell retired risking beingness and limb", helium says. "We transportation our coffins with us."

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One of his colleagues, Alaa al-Hadidi, was killed successful a drone onslaught successful December past year. His chap medics buried him. Israel has accused Hamas of utilizing ambulances to determination astir Gaza disguised.

Wael Eleywa, different paramedic, has worked passim the much than 600 days of war.

"What affects america the astir is the children", helium says. "After a mission, you statesman to ideate the injured children arsenic your ain relatives. These images enactment with you and get mixed successful your mind."

"Some of america person had to propulsion household members from the rubble."

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He describes responding to scenes wherever tents person caught occurrence aft a onslaught - children burned inside. "There's nary intelligence bid successful this job", helium adds. "But the enactment inactive needs to beryllium done."

The war, present nearing its twentieth month, has severely degraded Gaza's exigency effect network.

Many hospitals are nary longer functioning. The roads are unsafe oregon impassable. The strikes travel during the time and successful the acheronian of night. Combat zones displacement daily.

"There is nary protocol anymore", Eleywa says. "We are medics successful name, but the concern doesn't separate betwixt civilians, oregon paramedics oregon anyone else. Even with permits, they detain oregon people us."

Daher echoes the plea: "To each people, to each organisations - we request protection. We are trying to supply information successful a spot wherever information can't exist."

Despite the horror, determination is besides resolve. "We thin connected and enactment each different arsenic colleagues", says Daher. "Before the strikes, we're often unneurotic laughing, trying to assistance each different up. Then the telephone comes, and we go."

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The medics talk with the matter-of-fact calm of those who person seen excessively much. As they contention betwixt ruins and hospitals, they cognize that each displacement could beryllium their last.

"In this tract of work", Eleywa says, "we hole for the worst, and go. Safety is retired of reach."