North West doctor trapped in Gaza says 'the whole situation is terrifying'
Video report by Granada Reports journalist Zoe Muldoon
A North West doctor currently trapped in a compound in Gaza says the continuous bombardment in the area is "terrifying".
Dr Abdel Hammad, a surgeon at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, has been in a shelter in Gaza since Saturday 7 October – when Islamist militants Hamas launched an attack out of Gaza into Israel.
He said: "Since I have been here there's been continuous bombardment, striking, shelling and explosions - day and night."
"The whole situation is just terrifying. I mean, when the airstrikes happen, everything is shaking. You can't sleep and everyone is nervous about their safety."
Describing how the airstrikes are impacting his surroundings, Dr Hammad said that the airstrikes have caused the ceiling in the corridor where he is staying to collapse.
Dr Hammad has been travelling back and forth from the North West of England to Gaza for nearly a decade to help carry out lifesaving surgery during the attacks.
Dr Hammad said Al-Shifa Hospital, Gaza's main hospitalis so "overwhelmed with the number of casualties that they have" that he is unable to help to perform operations there.
"At the moment, they don't even have the capacity to do anything. I spoke to the director of the hospital about our operations and at the moment there are patients in the corridors.
"Even operation theatres they are having to divide them in order to try and deal with the number of casualties."
The Gaza Ministry of Energy said that its only power plant has now run out of fuel and shut down due to the Israeli blockage, leaving it without mains electricity.
Dr Hammad said that without electricity, "patients will die and it will be a medical disaster".
"We are in a privileged situation ourselves as foreign nationals, but I can't imagine what it is like for those living in Gaza who don't have that privilege."
Since the conflict began five days ago, the death toll has surpassed 2,200 on both sides, with at least 1,055 Palestinians and at least 1,200 Israelis killed since Saturday, with thousands more injured.
Dr Hammad has said that his family back in the North West are "very worried" about him and his safety.
"I'm trying to assure them that I am in the safest place that I can possibly be in Gaza. It is a very difficult time for me and my family," he said.
Dr Hammad said he is currently, trying to get out of Gaza, but ''all crossings are closed''.
"At the moment all crossings are closed and we need a safe corridor to get to the crossing anyway.
"We've been in touch with the foreign office and the consulate in Jerusalem and I hope that they make more effort to put more pressure on the government to allow us out. That's our hope for the next couple of days."